Flame, Ninetails and Tiger
by mercva
Summary: Recca, Kagero, and a SI are placed in the world of the Nine Tails. Part 20 Raiha vs Lee, the sand examine their corpse, Sakyo collects on a bet, and the badger meets the dragon.
1. Part 1

Summary: Recca, Kagero, and a SI are placed in the world of the Nine Tails 

Crossover: Flame of Recca, Naruto 

Disclaimer: I don't own what other people do. I do own me, though. 

Feedback: Sure thing... I like hearing how I can improve :) 

Pre-fic Comments: 

My knowledge of anatomy is very limited, and although I have a copy of Grey's Anatomy (at only $12 NZD!), I have no idea how to look stuff up in it. I'm a computer geek, my sister is the nurse. And after a brief eyeball, it dunna mention certain things in it. 

The Naruto series will not be present for a couple of parts. Be patient. 

A lot of dialog from the Recca manga is present.

* * *

My mind was turning over slowly, but unfortunately faster than my legs were as I jogged. I was jogging to build up my fitness level, in order to pass the fitness requirements to join the Army, but running never was my strong point, so I spent far more time running than I did doing other exercises. A third of my mind was playing death metal to the other two thirds, another third was paging through memories of manga scans, and the remaining third was trying to figure out the best way to write a story I had planned. 

As I got close to the pub, I thought to myself, 'I'll walk for a little bit after I reach the pub door.' (I never went in there, however, unless someone else was paying. I go through life stingily, monetarily, with temporary bouts of prosperity now and then.) 

I intended to write a Naruto and Flame of Recca crossover, with a self insertion flavour to it. While I found Naruto interesting in terms of personalities and techniques, Recca would always be, in my mind, the number one best ninja anime. So far, using Kage Houshi's portal creation and only moving her and her son seemed like the best plan. Now, I just had to work out a plausible excuse for the self insertion angle, without resorting to a 'Congratulations, God (aka The Author) just conscripted you!' plot device. 

Once I passed the pub door, I kept running, thinking to myself, 'I'll walk for a little bit once I get to the meat works.' (I found this technique to be a great way to run without actually walking. Once I started running, anyway.) I had to cross a busy road to get to the works, one that all the trucks took to get there. I didn't hear the rumble, I didn't hear the brakes screaming, it was only until the truck was almost on top of me that I noticed it. I said only one word, but believe me, I really, really meant it. 

"Bugger."

* * *

After dying, the next thing I recall was being in a warm place, noticeably void of bright lights and choirs of angels. I attempted to move, as the warmth was almost constrictive, but something was wrong. 

I was not certain, but I felt I was upside down, and my arms were too short. My legs were too, and they lacked a great deal of muscle I had built up. I felt something sliding beside me, as contractions began forcing me around the already cramped warmth. Kicking weakly, I felt another person of similar build and size to me (poor guy!) moving down the warmth, past some slim portal that I could feel faintly with my short, stubby arms. As my arms moved in front of my abdomen, I (probably) paled; an umbiblical cord was present. 

I really had died when that truck hit me. 

Well. 

It looks like being an Anglican was the wrong choice. Oh well, seems like I've got another go 'round to get it right. Maybe the powers that be make you be born again (physically) until you follow the right religion? Does that mean that atheists are immortal? 

I realised that the other person had finished going through the portal (which looked far too small for my liking). Right after that, the thought ran through my head that I'd have to go through that as well. 

"Bugger."

* * *

Right after I thought that, I was in far too much pain to think about anything else, and felt cold once born, even as the midwife cleaned me up. I began to settle down after a while, baby eyes staring through faint tears at the world. Next to me, the other child continued to cry. I have no idea how, but I could understand what they said. In my previous life, before I had been killed, I had only had a vague, spotty understanding of Japanese. 

"Is is is, is it here yet?! Has the baby arrived?," a strident voice called out. "Has my baby come? Kagero?" 

"Yes, Ouka-dono," a tired female voice replied. "You have two beautiful baby boys." 

"There there, don't cry," a scarred man with a wide, happy smile said, patting the child on the head. I guess he was my new brother... it would be strange, having an older brother. "His tears are like a raging fire... yeah! This child shall be called Recca!" 

When the man turned to me, I studied him quietly. As his hand approached, I reached out, missing it as I was not used to this body yet... so tiny, so fragile. 

"Haha! Did you see that, Kagero?," the man asked. His love for all of us could almost be felt physically. "The silent hunter, reaching for me! He shall be called Matora, the fierce tiger!" 

As he held both Recca and I, I considered matters. Did Kurei exist in this timeline, Ouka's oldest son? As fire appeared, wreathed around Recca's small fist, I worried.

* * *

I found life as a baby to be... most vexing. A few days after I was born, Kagero, my new mum, took Recca and I to a presentation that was also attended by my older brother Kurei, and his mother. Kagero knelt, holding both Recca and I in her arms. 

"The 'Child of Flame' can only appear once in every generation!," one of the men in the room roared. "That is how we decide our one leader!" 

"So why are there two?," another asked. "We must take care of this immediately!" 

"What about the third child, Matora?," the first man asked. 

"He does not have flame," Ouka said. "He is not the Child of Flame." 

Well, that was one weight off my back at least. On the other hand, being able to create fire would have been nifty. 

"It is true that I am no more than a mistress, but Kurei is still the eldest child!," Reina snarled. She was Kurei's mother. "Kurei should be the Hokage's next leader! Recca is the very embodiment of bad luck -- we should kill him!" 

"Reina...," Kagero trailed off, worried. 

"Wait!," the elder commanded. "Perhaps the real omen lies within Kurei." 

"Wha?," Reina asked, confused. "What are you saying, Elder? There's no way that Kurei could be the bad omen!" 

I snorted, waking Recca up. I swore to myself as I began to fall asleep... 

Right when things get interesting... 

Damn baby body... 

snore...

* * *

The outcome of that meeting was that Recca was recognised as the Child of Flame, and the next leader of the Hokage ninja. Kurei, on the other hand, was the Cursed Child, and ridiculed by the other children. Reina was dismissed by Ouka. 

Sure, I would have gotten pissed regardless of what happened. Being a baby was boring to someone who had used to relative independance. 

Things did get /too/ interesting at one point though. Heck, I still have the scar from it. 

Recca and I were quietly napping during the day, when the sound of the door sliding open woke us up. Recca laughed, holding his arms up, expecting okaasan to pick us up to go outside. 

"Die...," Kurei whispered. 

I smiled too, but it died when I realised that the figure silhouetted by the light was a short five year old, not Kagero-kaasan. Tangled in the blankets, I tried to move, even if he was innumerably faster than me, but he swiftly pulled out the tanto he had taken and wildly slashed at the two of us. 

The sharp blade slid across my right eyebrow and cheek, cutting down to the bone. Luckily, he didn't think to angle the blade to puncture my eye. But dear god, it /hurt!/ I cried, the pain cutting through anything I had ever felt in my short life as the coppery tang bled down into my nose, and pooled in my right eye. Recca began to cry, too, as Kurei's knife cut clear through his left cheek. 

Our older halfbrother's knife rose again, to try to kill us. 

A strong pair of arms restrained him, throwing him to the ground and taking the knife off him. The ninja, once Kurei had been disarmed, yelled out, "Trouble! It's the Cursed Child! He's attacked the Child of Flame!" 

"Recca!," Kagero cried out. As she saw me, her tears increased. "Matora!" 

She picked us up, trying to clean the freely flowing blood away with her clothes. 

"Ahahahah! Cry! Crawl up and die! DIE!," Kurei shrieked, hatred colouring his voice and cutting through my pain. "Now you can feel the pain you forced me and my mother into!" 

This, I knew, was the beginning of the end.

* * *

That night, as if Kurei's attack had been an omen, news came that Oda Nobunaga had declared war on the Hokage. It was no real secret that he was after the madougu of the Hokage, their mystical weapons. Ouka-tousan, rather than fight Oda with them and chance the warlord taking them all in a war of attrition, ordered that the weapons be hidden, and the Hokage attack with traditional ninja weapons. 

"Matora seems restless," Ouka said, stroking my hair after the meeting. While he loved to spend time with us, his sons, Clan business took a lot of his time. 

Dammit! I wanted to tell him that we should be running, honour be damned! 

"Perhaps he knows what we've been speaking of," Kagero offered. "I sometimes think that Recca is the leader, while Matora waits to watch what happens." 

True. When the two of us had began to crawl, Recca had often nearly fallen into pits, or into dangerous objects, while I didn't. 

"He'll be a help to his brother," Ouka said. "Someone to help him with decision making." 

"I sometimes wonder if he will live long enough to be leader," Kagero said, a slight frown on her face. 

"Don't worry so," Ouka said, kissing the top of her head. "Even if I die, the Hokage will live on in you and our sons." 

"Ouka-sama!," a ninja called out. "The madougu have been taken away." 

"I must go," Ouka said to Kagero, handing her Recca. He walked out to the forest where they would meet the enemy. 

"I will go with you a little way," Kagero said firmly, brushing her clothes. 

"They're here! It's Oda!," a look out at the top of a tree called out. 

"Kagero... I'm sorry I wasn't able to be a good husband to you," Ouka said. "Recca, and Matora too -- I never did anything for them." 

I reached out with my arm to him. Recca was asleep beside me, arms curled around my left. 

"No, as a ninja and the leader of this clan you did very well," Kagero insisted. "I am proud to be the woman you call your wife." 

"I'll see you later," Ouka said, optimistic as the sound of battle began. 

He ran into the midst of the soldiers, summoning his Flame as he called out, "I am the best among the Hokage, the leader, Ouka! Fight me if you wish to die!" 

I reached out with both arms, jostling Recca awake as Kagero ran with both of us. As we got further away, I saw several swords run through the proud leader, his flame now his funeral pyre. 

"Don't be afraid," Kagero whispered to the two of us. "Soon you'll both be in a better place. 

I watched, as Kagero-kaasan's eyes closed briefly in reflection, musing on a lesson from the Elder. "As long as you live, there will be hope..." 

--- 

"Kagero," the Elder began, "the Hokage have a secret art, a technique that allows one to be sent through time... but you must never use it! For if you do, you will be cursed by time itself." 

"Cursed by time?," Kagero asked, kneeling on the tatami. 

"Time will cease to flow over the user," the Elder explained. "You will be forever unable to die! You will forever be plagued by the death of loved ones... to have death avoid you eternally, that is a true living hell. Do not use this skill!" 

--- 

Okaasan held us in her right arm, as her left hand rose and fell, forming hand seals. Her hand formed the last seal, and she called out, "I will not let these children die! Jikuuryuuri" 

A shining portal of blue light opened, the surface misty and opaque. 'Kaasan slid an arm protector into Recca's bundle, and lifted the two of us to the portal. "Take this tekko... this will protect you. Goodbye... my children..."

* * *

As the two of us passed through the portal, through time itself, I clung tightly to Recca, so that we would not be parted. Recca began to cry, cold and missing Okaasan. 

Dammit... 

Crap. My infant body began to cry as well in an automatic response. Being a baby sucked. The clothes the two of us had been wrapped in had come loose, and as it began to rain, I began to mean it as I cried. A cold was the last thing I needed! 

As a man approached, umbrella in hand, I started to settle down. If I recalled canon correctly, he should be Shigeo. 

"Abandoned children?," the man asked the air, picking us up as he tucked his umbrella under his arm. He studied Recca's tiny jacket. "Rec... ca." 

He then looked at me, and I quietened down as I stared back. "Ma... tora. What are you two doing here?" 

"My... my babies!," a familiar voice called out, full of joy, pain, sadness, and happiness. 

"Why were your kids on the street?," the man asked the approaching woman, who was clad in a voluminous black dress with some of her hair done up in a bun. 

"I thought I would never see them again," Kagero said, tears coming to her eyes. She knew that the curse from using Jikuuryuuri meant that she would not be able to touch them again, but she could try... "Let... let me hold them..." 

"Don't cry!," the man said, panicking. "I can't take a woman's tears! I'm Hanabishi Shigeo. Here you go." 

"I... my name is Kagero," Okaasan said as she took the two of us from Shigeo's arms. 

Once her fingers were touching the two of us, blue lightning arced around us, forming a blue disc of crackling electricity. A faint wind grew, as bolts leapt out from the disc. Everything that the bolts touched was sucked into the disc, which seemed to be a portal. 

This never happened in canon, I thought as a couple of houses and a flower shop vanished. 

"I... I am sorry, Hanabishi-san," Kagero said as her, Shigeo, Recca, and I were struck by those blue lightning bolts.

* * *

"Hokage-sama!," a ninja called out, running into Sandaime's office. "Something is happening!" 

"I felt it," the old man said, picking up his pipe as he walked briskly out of the office. 

"Right in front of the gates, where the demon was sealed a year ago!" 


	2. Part 2

Summary: Recca, Kagero, and a SI are placed in the world of the Nine Tails 

Crossover: Flame of Recca, Naruto 

Disclaimer: I don't own what other people do. I do own me, though. 

Feedback: Sure thing... I like hearing how I can improve :) 

Pre-fic Comments: 

ranma hibiki: First review for this fic V Thanks for the comment! So far, this fic is only since I don't know of any Naruto mailing lists... as for how it is going to turn out, I have some ideas for the SI character, but telling them now would ruin the story :) 

Alex DarkFire: Thanks... I'm working on this fic when I run out of fic to read, so it's been turning over nicely so far. As for Recca's Bloodline... yes, it does mesh nicely. When are you going to continue that Buffy/Inuyasha/(many) fic? 

I'm not entirely sure how each of these people would use the -san, -sama and so on. Made up a few techniques, mainly for the Morino family. In case you don't pick it up, the two are father and son. I'm guessing re Ibiki's father's name and Fuuko's mother's name. 

Is it me, or does Kyuubi look more like a mutant rabbit than a fox?

* * *

Sarutobi sighed, then took a long drag off his pipe. This was going to be a long night. 

He knew that taking back the office of Hokage was a mistake, even if Yondaime had died performing the seal that had sealed away the fox demon. 

"So they appeared in mid air?," he asked. "Hiashi?" 

The guard nodded. "A blue disc of lightning appeared, directly where the kyuubi last stood, and the two adults and the two children passed through it." 

Hyuuga Hiashi stared at the area where the guard had indicated the portal had appeared. Veins around his eyes stood out, inflated unnaturally as he used the Hyuuga 'Byakugan' ability to see things that others could not. "A lot of chakra was used here, Sandaime, but it is strange, and is dissipating fast." 

"The form it took seems... wild, and strange in pattern," Hyuuga Hizashi, his brother, pointed out. "As if this was a reaction of some sort, an accident." 

The short, elderly leader wandered closer to the small heap, crouching by the woman who held the two children close. "Hmmm... I want these people moved to a secure ward at the hospital, and Morino Ibiki present when one of them wakes." 

"Hokage-sama!," another guard called out, running up to him. "Houses have appeared! Out of nowhere!" 

Sarutobi took another drag from his pipe. Make that a long, troublesome night, as Naru-san would say.

* * *

Kagero groaned as she slowly regained consciousness. 

She was in what felt like a bed, in strange clothes, bound by strapping. Where was she? The last thing she remembered was being sucked into a portal with the strange man, and--! 

"Recca! Matora!," she cried out, testing the straps. "Where are my children!" 

A tall man in a trenchcoat stepped forwards as her eyesight cleared. White walls and the smell of disinfectant. Ah, she was in a hospital. 

"You can see them after you tell us who you are, how you arrived, why you're here, and where you're from." 

The slim, blackhaired kunoichi fell back into the bed. "I am Kage Houshi, I arrived by interfering with the Time Manipulation Technique after a long time, I have no idea why I'm here, and I'm from most recently Tokyo, Japan." 

Her interrogator's eyes narrowed, as if trying to divine her truthfulness from her appearance. "Do you have anything to prove this?" 

"I might be able to help you if I knew where I was," Kagero said sharply. "I swear I have no idea what the Hidden Leaf is!" 

"You are in the hospital of the Hidden Leaf Village," the man said. After a pause, he began making hand seals, but with both hands. "Truthfind no Jutsu!" 

Kagero shivered as a faint trail of coldness floated through her. 

"You are telling the truth," the man allowed. "Hokage-sama will talk to you further." 

"Hokage?," Kagero asked sharply. 

"The leader of the Hidden Leaf," the man expanded. "You truly are not from around here, if you did not know that." 

"I... I was born into the Hokage Ninja," Kagero said slowly. "I think that Jikuuryuuri threw me into another world." 

Faintly, in the distance, an indignant female voice rose in volume. 

"How dare you insinuate that I, Ishijima Kasumi, am a spy! I am an _honest woman_ who sells flowers! But then again, a hag like you has no use for blossoms! And if you've hurt my baby Domon-chan, I'll make you wish you were never born!" 

The man sighed. "Anko... so enthusiastic, but... ma, ma." 

Leaning back, managing to look relaxed despite being strapped to the bed, Kagero leant back with a slight smile on her face. "Go on. I know you have someone to dress down for poor technique." 

Not saying a word, the man left the room, saying to the guards, "Unbind her, and return the two infants to her."

* * *

Ishijima Kasumi glared at the woman in front of her, who glared right back. She might be a widow at twenty four, but that didn't mean that punks could push her around! 

"I only want to know if you are a threat to the Hidden Leaf Village! How did your house appear in the middle of the village? Why are you here?" 

"I sell flowers, how dangerous do _you_ think I am?," Ishijima said snidely back. 

"Anko," a man said from the doorway. "I'll take care of the rest." 

The woman got up and left, leaving Ishijima alone with the man. 

"I demand you untie me and return Domon-chan to me!" 

"In a moment," Morino said calmly. The woman was already wound up -- putting her back up further would be detrimental. In a show of good will, he untied her upper torso. She didn't look strong enough to be a threat... but one could never be sure, which was why her legs were left tied -- they would slow her down. "We only want to know if you are a threat to the people living here, then we'll let you go. I'm sure you can understand that." 

"Ahhh... such a nice man," Ishijima Kasumi smiled. "They should have sent you in first, even if you do look like yakuza with that coat. No, I really don't know what's going on. I just want my baby back, and to return to my home." 

Morino nodded. "I'll tell the guards to return your baby, then you just have to speak to Hokage-sama, then you'll be free to go." 

"Hokage-sama?," Ishijima asked politely. 

"The leader," Morino explained, getting up. He then left, saying to the guards, "Give her child back, and escort her to Hokage-sama."

* * *

Hanabishi Shigeo was really, really confused at this point. He'd been walking back home after going to the corner shop, then he'd come across a couple of babies lying on the ground. He'd picked them up, and from there it had gotten really weird, culminating in him being knocked out and waking up to being tied to a hospital bed. 

A very elderly man walked into the room, studying him. The old man's hands seemed to flicker through a few positions as he mumbled to himself, sitting on a chair by Shigeo's bed. 

"Oi, ojiisan, can I at least have one of my smokes?," Shigeo asked. 

"Not quite yet. You gave us all quite a shock, appearing in front of the village gates like you did. I am Morino Shinji, and you are...?" 

"Hanabishi Shigeo," Shigeo said. "I make fireworks for a living." 

"Really?," Shinji asked. "It's been too long since we've had fireworks here. Where did you come from?" 

"Tokyo, Japan. I don't know where the hell I am... say, is that woman who was with me okay? I mean, I hate to see a woman crying." 

"Oh, she's fine, and your concern speaks well of you," Shinji said. "I'm here to find out if you're a threat to the village." 

"Me?," Shigeo asked. He laughed. "Only if I'm smoking around the fireworks again. Man, my oyaji hated that." 

Shinji laughed at that, too. He got up... his Truthspeak no Jutsu he'd done when entering had indicated that the man was speaking only the truth (in the man's opinion, anyway). "I'll have the guards untye you, then escort you to speak to Sandaime-sama." 

"Who's Sandaime-sama?," Shigeo asked. 

"The leader of this village." 

Oh. And him in his work clothes, too.

* * *

Kirisawa Raiko was not a happy woman. 

Her husband, Kirisawa Mizu was even less happy. 

They had been at home, playing with their child Fuuko, when for some reason they had all blacked out. Then they had woken up in some strange white hospital, separated from Fuuko-chan and then interrogated. 

Now they were in front of the guy running this joint, along with some other abductees, and they could get some answers. 

"Where are we, and why are we here?," Ishijima Kasumi asked, politely yet firmly. A year old baby was cradled in her arms protectively. 

"From what we've been able to determine..." the Hokage said. He was an old, old man in strange looking ceremonial robes. "You were hit by random fluxes of some... out of control portal or summons." 

"Kage Houshi-san, I believe you may have some answers for us," Morino Ibiki said. This way, everyone else would put pressure on her to explain as well. 

"It is painful still to think of it," Kagero said. Her grip on Recca and Matora tightened, causing Recca to cry momentarily and Matora to look around warily. "Please, do not make me tell you." 

Demands broke out among the other time travellers to know what was happening, save Shigeo. 

"Okay," Kagero capitulated. "But first, I want your word that this won't leave this room." 

"You have it," Hokage said. "Continue." 

"Long ago in our world, the warlord Oda Nobunaga laid his eyes on the Hokage Ninja, and our mystical Madougu weapons. He felt that our weapons would be of more use in his hands, and declared war on us." 

"Why didn't you stand against them, or run?," one of the men behind Hokage asked. 

"A flood of insects can kill even a tiger," Kagero said. "It would have been a war of attrition, and Oda would have taken our madougu bit by bit, until the Hokage were a pale remnant, and he had everything we held of value." 

"So your leader sent away your... madougu... to be hidden," Hokage surmised. 

"Ouka-dono did, yes. I ran from the battle with our two children. I would not and will not let my children die! I used the forbidden time manipulation technique, Jikuuryuuri, and sent them ahead in time." 

"Hold on," Mizu said. "How did we get sucked into it, then?" 

"There are penalties for using forbidden techniques," Kagero said. Her grip tightened on her two children once more as she thought on them. "To use Jikuuryuuri is to be cursed by Time itself, and to be forever unable to touch those who go through the portal." 

"So... when you picked up Recca and Matora... that wasn't supposed to happen, so the portal thing went mad?," Shigeo summed up. 

Hokage sighed, exhaling smoke from his pipe. "So... travellers from another world. What to do, what to do..." 

"Mister Fireworks can get a job here, but what about me?," Mizu asked. "I don't think a place like this would have much work for an accountant and his assistant!" 

"Accountant?," the Hokage asked, not sure what the unusual word meant. 

"I deal with budgets, numbers, money, making sure of how money is used," Mizu said. He ran his fingers through his hair. 

"The Hidden Leaf village has many clients, and we have trouble keeping the books straight sometimes," Hokage admitted. "After a trial period, we could hire someone of your ability." 

"I don't know what I'll do," Kagero sighed. She rose to her feet. "I won't bother you any more..." 

"No, I think it would be... beneficial if you were to stay, all of you," Hokage said, eyes thoughtful. Input of new, strange ideas and thoughts would be a good experience for the people of Konoha after the ruin and devastation of the Kyuubi. "Hmmm... Kirisawa-san, Ishijima-san, your houses were... brought with you?" 

They nodded. 

"Shigeo-san, while we have a shed and open area you can work in, I'm afraid that housing is still at a minimum, so you'll have to share with Kage Houshi." 

"Why is housing so short?," Kagero asked. 

"A demon destroyed much of the village, and killed many people," Morino Shinji offered. "We're still recovering." 

"I'm sorry for your loss," Kagero said, head inclined. 

Hokage rose to his feet. "Well, let's go have a look at things."

* * *

I sighed. 

The front door to the apartment that Hokage had loaned to Shigeo and Kagero-kaasan looked familiar, for some reason. I couldn't quite put my finger on why, though. Kagero-kaasan had laid out some blankets and put Recca and I down to sleep, and then she and Shigeo sat in the other room, discussing matters. 

So far, they had agreed to keep matters as they were. Kagero-kaasan planned to raise us for a few years, teaching us the ways of the Hokage ninja before we entered school here. 

School. 

I hadn't thought of that, yet. What would I specialise in? 

Most of the high-end ninja I had seen in the Naruto manga specialised in something. Zabuza was a water specialist, Kakashi was a sneaky bastard with a hell of a memory, Maito Gai had more drive than a Chevy big block, Gaara would specialise in sand, and Shikamaru would specialise in tactics and shadow manipulation... 

The last thought tugged at my memory for a moment. 

Shadows... 

The Eikai ball! Crystal Madougu of shadow, it allowed the user to fall into shadow like someone slipping through the surface of water, and to divine far away scenes. From memory, Kagero-kaasan possessed it. I liked the idea of using it... although, it would probably be a good idea to have some other aces. 

My one year old brow crinkled, as Recca slept beside me. 

Well, what worked in other worlds? 

The first thing that sprang to mind was the 'Shifter' prestige class, from Neverwinter Nights. A user of that could shapeshift into other species, the pinnacle of the Shifter's class an Ancient Dragon. That was one possibility. 

What else was there? 

Well, I had always liked the Necromancer and Pale Master classes, but they were likely to get me lynched, even in a shinobi village. 

Maybe inspiration from the original Flame of Recca series? No, most of the other madougu were too difficult to replicate without the actual weapon. The only one that could be copied, from memory, was the madougu of illusion, which was admittedly extremely limited. I suspected that that was one area in which the Naruto series outstripped Flame of Recca -- illusions, the art of Genjutsu. 

That was it! 

Genjutsu! Hiding in the shadows, turning my opponent against themselves. The only problem was what if I came across someone resistant to illusion, like the Byakugan eyes of the Hyuuga clan, or the spinning Sharingan eyes of the Uchiha? 

I turned as I thought it over. The eyes saw through the immaterial illusion created by the genjutsu user. Well, if we created illusion in the _mind_ rather than the real world, then the enhanced eyes would not see the illusion, but the brain still would. 

I'd have to make nice nice with the Morino clan, I thought as I yawned and went to sleep.

* * *

Post-fic Comments: 

Re music, I used to think the band 'Hammerfall' was cheesy. Then I heard the band 'Dragonforce', even cheesier. Then I heard the band 'Holy Knight', finding entirely new levels of 'ye gods, do they really believe that?!'. It probably says something about me that I still quite like those bands, yet hate boybands and the like, and Britney Whatshername. 

I know it might seem to you 'Good grief, another I Am God fic, but bear in mind that the SI character hasn't actually managed to do anything, and plans don't always work in real life. 


	3. Part 3

Summary: Recca, Kagero, and a SI are placed in the world of the Nine Tails 

Crossover: Flame of Recca, Naruto 

Disclaimer: I don't own what other people do. I do own me, though. 

Feedback: Sure thing... I like hearing how I can improve :) 

Pre-fic Comments: seems to have decided to munch smilies as well, now. Specifically, the caret-underscore-caret ones. Yeesh, anal retentive much? 

ranma hibiki: They have only just gotten there, and Naruto himself is only a year old at this stage. Be patient. (I'm also curious as to the background of your nick... Ranma-Ryouga yaoi, bloodbrother, or long lost brother?) 

Dan Inverse: Hokage did hint at a trial period for the two accountants... and it would be rude to say to their faces that they would be under surveillance for a while. As for the over-power thing, it does make for a bad story, so I'll do my best to avoid it. 

Alex DarkFire: Thanks for the compliment... does your muse take bribes?

* * *

Years Pass...

* * *

Life had been... interesting, growing up in Konohagakure. When we had been settling in, I would notice Kagero-kaasan looking out the window, smiling briefly before returning to what she was doing. What had been out there? I had crawled to the window, staring out. The texture of some of the shadows moved... perhaps a cat, but more likely shinobi. Well, that made sense. I couldn't see Hokage letting us stay with no checks, questioning or no questioning. 

After a year of dating, Shigeo and Kagero had married. I hadn't really expected that, but the manga had indicated a certain measure of empathy between the two of them. In some ways I resented him for replacing Ouka-tousan, even if I had only known Ouka-tousan for a short time. But he made 'kaasan happy, so I ended up happy with the arrangement. Once they married, Hokage-sama pronounced all the world-travellers citizens of Konoha. 

Another unexpected event was that Shigeo, Kagero-kaasan and the other two families had been ostrasized to a certain degree by the villagers. I guess their fear of the unnatural had been sharpened by the demon fox. It meant that Recca and I played with Domon and Fuuko more often than not. Fuuko would try and hit Recca, while Recca bopped her on the head with one of the toys, while Domon hit me (trying to, at least), yelling at me to stay still. 

How stupid did I look?, I responded. 

Now, she had taken Recca and I out to the park in the middle of Konoha, where some of the other children were. I saw a child away from the group, rolling balls of dirt together by some trees. 

"What ya doing?," I asked. 

"I'm going to throw these at them," the boy said proudly. 

"Riiiiight," I said. With his blonde hair, and cheek slashes, he could only be Naruto. "My name is Hanabishi Matora, and yours is...?" 

"I'm Uzumaki Naruto, and I'm going to be Hokage and make the village acknowledge my existance!" 

I wasn't quite sure what to say to that. While he would become a good fighter, driven to achieve his goal, hanging around him wouldn't accomplish much in the short term. On the other hand, no one else was willing to openly become my friend. 

"The Hokage throws dirt at people, then?," I asked, mock innocent. "I thought the future Hokage would be... I dunno, training or something." 

"No one'll train me," Naruto muttered, looking at the ground. 

"What about scrolls?," I asked. "Isn't there a library?" 

"Can't read, guardians ain't taught me," Naruto mumbled. 

I grabbed his hand, dragging him from the shade out to Kagero-kaasan. 

"'Kaasan!," I called out. "This's Naruto! Can he come home for lunch with us?" 

"Is it okay with his mum?," Kagero asked, amusement hidden but still evident. 

"They're dead," Naruto said. 

"Sorry," Kagero said. "But if it's alright with his guardians, then he can." 

"Can I show him the Eikai ball?," I asked. 

"It's not a toy, Matora," Kagero scolded. 

"But it's cool!" 

"I'll think about it. Now, go and play with your brother." 

"Okay...," I trailed off, dragging Naruto over to where Recca was, jumping around as Fuuko tried to hit him. "Recca-niisan! This is Naruto!" 

"He's a bad kid," another kid contributed. She had long, blonde hair, and was presumably Yamazaki Ino. "My parents said to stay away from him." 

"I am not!," Naruto protested. 

"Doesn't look that evil to me," Domon contributed. He was slightly taller than everyone else our age, and more heavily built. "Someone that short can't be very good at anything!" 

"I'M NOT SHORT!," Naruto roared, launching himself at Domon, fist first. 

I groaned as the two of them began to scrap, Domon's experience with Recca and myself winning over Naruto's enthusiasm. 

"Domon! Stop picking on him!," Fuuko commanded. "Or I'll tell your mother! Aren't you supposed to be home?" 

"She doesn't know I'm here," Domon said sneakily. 

"I'm bored," Recca whined. "I say we go find oyaji and get some fireworks off him!" 

"'Nii-san, we aren't supposed to go near the fireworks," I noted. 

"I don't care! Come on!"

* * *

That was the general pattern life took, with Kagero-kaasan starting to take Naruto under her wing. I guess Recca and I had sparked her maternal instincts or something, I dunno. Kagero-kaasan taught him how to read and write before he entered the Konoha Ninja Academy, and he read a handful of scrolls in the Konoha library, although the librarian never let him borrow any. 

Me, I just got Kagero-kaasan to borrow them for Naruto, Recca, and I. Not that Recca read much -- he read even less than Naruto, having little use for intellectual pursuits. Ouka-tousan's thoughts on our roles in our relationship had proven slightly prophetic, although Naruto had began to integrate himself into our partnership after Kagero-kaasan and Shigeo adopted him. (Hokage insisted that Naruto keep his old family name, however.) 

I tried to befriend Hyuuga Neji, wanting to soften his harsh attitude towards destiny, but he rebutted all attempts. And to tell the truth, their misty eyes creeped me out, bad. It looked like the whole clan had cataracts, and the Freddy Krueger-esque veins they had going when using their eyes was also major evil looking. 

The Uchiha clan, though... oooh, that sucked, hard. Itachi still killed most of his immediate family, leaving only Sasuke alive. When Naruto, Recca, and I approached the mourning kid, though, one of the nearby adults immediately elbowed us out, 'comforting' him. In their minds, I guess they were saving their Golden Boy from the social outcasts, the outsider-citizens and the demonic Kyuubi boy. In the end, Hyuuga Hiashi and Mitarashi Ichiro pressured Kakashi into adopting Sasuke. 

I made a mental note to, if I ever met him, never introduce Jiraiya to Kakashi. Sasuke would starve to death while those two went on Happosai duty. That was a scary thought, actually, a fight between Happosai, Grandmaster of the Anything Goes from the series Ranma Half, in a grudge match against the kunoichi of Konoha out for blood after having their panties stolen. 

As for the techniques I had considered the night we entered this world...

* * *

I grinned mentally as the Hokage wandered out onto the roof of the building I was waiting on. After studying his habits for a while, I had noticed that he tended to study the rock faces of the Hokage from this roof. 

"Yo, Hokage-sama," I called out. 

"Ah... Hanabishi Matora, isn't it? How are you?," the old man said, turning from the cliff to me. 

"I'm okay, but I don't get one of Iruka-sensei's lessons," I mock-frowned. 

"Oh?," Hokage said. "What don't you understand?" 

"Ma, ma, you wouldn't be able to help," I demurred, in order to get him to admit his knowledge. 

"I know many things," Hokage said. "One of my names is 'The Professor', after all." 

"Really? Well, I don't get Henge," I bitched. "It sucks that we can't actually turn into another creature, just create an illusion that we inhabit with our masked physical selves." 

"Well, there is a technique for actual shapeshifting, Henshin no Jutsu, but it is quite difficult, and complex," Hokage said. "You are, after all, changing your body systems to that of a completely different animal." 

"How do natural shapechangers like werewolves and kitsune do it?," I asked, curious. 

Hokage laughed. "It's a part of their nature, Matora." 

"I wish I could be a werewolf, only I'd be a were_tiger_," I said. Hint, hint. "Tigers are cool." 

Hokage laughed harder at this. "With your name, I'd be shocked if you didn't think that. You'd only be a weretiger for as long as you could hold the henshin, Matora, and it take a lot of chakra for a whole new species like that. There are only were_wolves_ in nature." 

"Could you do it?," I asked, eager. 

"I could," Hokage affirmed. "I don't know what good it would do you, though." 

"What if you bit me?," I asked. "That way, I'd be a natural weretiger!" 

Hokage was thoughtful at this. "That's a good idea... no one has ever thought of it. Are you sure that you're not twenty?" 

Damn, he was onto me! "Uh, I'm eight, Hokage-sama." 

"Of course," the old man responded. Ah, good, only joking. "You'd have to ask your mother if you could do something like that." 

"Can weretigers do handseals like normal people?," I asked. 

"Anyone with fingers and control can do jutsu," Hokage gently rebuffed me. 

"Sugoi! Thanks a bundle, Hokage-sama! Ja ne," I called out, bouncing down the stairs in search of Kagero-kaasan. 

Hokage laughed as he wandered down after me, to continue his work. "Such a mind... you'll do great things with a mind like that, Matora."

* * *

"'Kaasan!," I called out, running to the yard where Shigeo-tousan made his fireworks and Kagero-kaasan helped. "Okaasan!" 

"What, Matora?," Kagero asked. She had a smudge of soot on her cheek. 

"I want to ask you something, but it has to be a secret," I whispered to her. 

"Oh, and what is this secret?," 'kaasan asked, bending down to place her ear next to my lips. 

"I want to be a weretiger, and Hokage-sama can make me one," I explained simply. 

"What about your brothers, Matora?," Kagero asked. 

"He's got his flames," I said dismissively. Recca's flames caused almost as much havoc as his now-trademark use of Shigeo-tousan's fireworks. My vote for his best was when he threw Sasuke in a cupboard with a string of firecrackers. "And Naruto-niisan has the... you know." 

"Matora! How did you learn about the you-know-what?," Kagero-kaasan asked. 

"Somewhere," I evaded. "So is it okay if I become a weretiger?" 

"As long as Hokage-sama and Shigeo say you can," Kagero sighed. "And only if it's safe!" 

I rolled my eyes. "Nothing's completely safe, 'kaasan." 

Kagero laughed, ruffling my hair. "Can't a mother worry?"

* * *

Kiba wandered down one of the side streets of Konoha, pausing as his companion Akamaru the dog stopped at an alleyway. 

"What's wrong?," he asked his friend. 

"Bark! Bark!," Akamaru responded. Luckily for Kiba, he was of the Inuzuka clan and could understand dogs. _There is a strange cat down there!_

"Meh, it's just a mangy cat," Kiba said dismissively. 

Akamaru edged down the shadows of the alleyway, worried yet curious. 

"Akamaru?," Kiba called out. 

**"ROOOOAAAARRRWWWLLL!,"** came a feline roar/scream. It sounded incomplete, and under-volume, yet still scared the small dog, and the still-in-training Kiba. 

"A-Akamaru," Kiba said, "let's go, now!" 

"Bark!," Akamaru agreed. _Before I crap myself!_

As they ran from the alleyway, I padded out into the sunlight, a catty grin on my striped face. True, I was only a half-grown tiger at the moment, but being a weretiger rocked, majorly. 

I closed my eyes, inhaling the scent of Konoha. Complex scents of passersby announced their presence and history, and... what was that smell? 

It was familiar. 

It reminded me of Naruto, for some reason. 

Ah! It was ramen! 

I shifted awkwardly back into human form, and checked my pockets. Yes, I had enough money to buy some ramen... 'Kaasan would scold me, but Naruto and Shigeo would back me up. 


	4. Part 4

Summary: Recca, Kagero, and a SI are placed in the world of the Nine Tails 

Crossover: Flame of Recca, Naruto 

Disclaimer: I don't own what other people do. I do own me, though. 

Feedback: Sure thing... I like hearing how I can improve :) 

Pre-fic Comments: 

Hopefully, this part will push the fic over the 10,000 words mark. I know that the continuity of some of this stuff is off, but I honestly don't care, and don't feel like trying to type all that stuff out. Too troublesome. And yes, the teams have been rearranged. Shino has been dropped from the fic, as with him there is one too many people and I wind up with a group of one. If you comment on this, please make it a constructive comment and not "d00d! you suck! SasuSaku 4eva!", 'kay? 

ranma hibiki: Of course Hokage knows something, you did catch the conversation where Hokage said he'd help if Kagero approved? And as for Naruto... don't you think he's naughty enough without added fuel? 

Alex DarkFire: Thanks for the compliments... and as for Magic in the Bones, I really don't know what to do with that fic at the moment, and I need to be really depressed to work on the Inverted series.

* * *

As expected, Kagero-kaasan did dress me down for scaring Inuzuka Kiba like that. I didn't care, though -- my hatred of dogs is second only to my hatred of vermin and willfully stupid people. 

I didn't have much luck managing to talk to the Morino clan, though -- they were amazingly stubborn, and I had to resort to hitting the books.

* * *

"'Niisan," Recca whined. "C'mon, Naruto and I want you to spar with us!" 

"I'm making notes on this, though," I complained, gesturing at a piece of paper I was working on. 

"Not that stupid genjutsu thing again," Recca said, frowning. 

"It isn't stupid!," I retorted, then grabbed my mouth as I realised something. 

"Hanabishi! Out!," the Head Librarian commanded. While she kind of liked me, she was unbending in her rules, and one of those was that people don't make noise in her library. 

"There," Recca said smugly, having baited me into yelling. If he had yelled, he would have been the one getting kicked out, not me. "Gotcha outta here." 

I scowled as I rolled my paper up, stuffing it into a pocket as I returned some scrolls to their places. "I guess you just volunteered to be my first guinea pig." 

"Sure thing," Recca said as we ambled out the door. "And no hiding in the shadows again!" 

"You're just mad that I can learn 'kaasan's techniques that copy the Eikai Ball, and you can't," I said smugly. 

"Ma, ma, well you're just jealous that you don't have my flames," Recca returned. 

"Sugoi! Recca-niisan, you got him!," Naruto cheered as the two of us approached the part. "Matora, for someone with such a cool scar, you sure are boring." 

"Man, you say that as if I'm as bad as Shikamaru," I said, frowning at the mention of the scar. 

Kurei's attack on us when Recca and I were one had resulted in scarring. In Recca's case, he was lucky enough to get a short, one or two inch long scar on his cheek that he habitually covered with a band-aid. Me, I got a huge long scar through my eyebrow and down my cheek. 

"I dunno... you stare at scrolls all day, and he stares at clouds," Naruto said. 

"I don't stare at scrolls all day -- I do go into the forest," I pointed out. 

"Oooo, did you find Kiba again?," Naruto asked eagerly. The dog boy had been picking on him again in class. 

"Nah, I don't think that that dog of his likes that part of the forest any more," I said. 

"Can't imagine why," Recca sniggered. 

We all jumped as Recca dodged a kunai thrown at him. 

"Recca! I challenge you!," Fuuko called out. 

"You can't beat me," Recca said confidently. 

"Go, Fuuko!," Domon cheered, having sneaked away from his mother's flower shop where he was supposed to be weeding their flowerbeds. 

With that, the two rivals started trying to incapacitate each other, so I began to sneak off. 

"Oi," Naruto hissed to me. "I'm gonna go egg Kiba's house -- you on?" 

"Sure," I whispered back. Kiba had been an asshole to me, too -- although, in my case, it was because he could smell tiger on me, and unconsciously was badly disposed towards me as a result. 

"Hinata," I called out in a low voice. 

"M-Matora?," a timid voice returned. The pale-eyed Hinata stepped out from behind a tree, embarassed slightly to be near her crush, Naruto. "How did you know I was there?" 

"That's a secret," I grinned, tapping the side of my nose in a hint. "C'mon, we're gonna have fun!"

* * *

As Naruto and I pelted eggs at the Inuzuka residence, Hinata quietly tried to ask us to stop. A few dirty jokes beforehand from me meant, though, that she was way too embarassed to not stutter, so Naruto couldn't understand what she was saying. 

Then a bamf noise and a puff of smoke announced that bad news, and The Law, had arrived. 

"C'mon!," I called out to Naruto. "Run!" 

I began to fall into a patch of shadows like someone slipping beneath the surface of water, but a strong hand grabbed my Dimmu Borgir shirt. (I was one of the (very) few in the village that was into heavy metal, a style of music imported from outside the map.) 

"Maaatooooraaaa," a familiar voice said. "Naaaruuutooo." 

"I-I-Iruka-s-s-sensei?," Hinata stammered. "I'm sorry, I tried to stop them, but..." 

"It's okay, Hinata," Iruka said. He then stared at us two boys. "Matora, Naruto, I can't believe you did this! Your parents will hear about this! And you're supposed to be in school at the moment, too!" 

"Uh... do we get any last requests?," I asked, as Iruka-sensei approached Naruto and I with rope in hand, a mad gleam in his eye.

* * *

Five minutes later, we were sitting on the classroom floor in front of everyone, roped back to bad. 

"Bah!," Naruto said, face turned away in pique. 

"Tomorrow is the Ninja School's graduation exam!," Iruka-sensei thundered. "Naruto, you have failed the last two times!" 

Recca began to laugh. 

"Hanabishi Recca, you can stop laughing now -- your record is just as bad!" 

Recca stopped laughing, and started to frown. 

"This is no time to be outside causing trouble, you morons!," Iruka-sensei reprimanded us. "Time for a review test on Henge no Jutsu! Everyone line up!" 

"WHAT?!," the class roared. 

"Transform into me," the teacher said, relentless. 

I sighed. This sucked. 

Most of the class Henge'd into an image of Iruka-sensei without a problem, until he got to Recca. 

"Hanabishi, Recca!" 

"Henge!," Recca called out, making the appropriate handseal. 

Rings of smoke circling him (her?), an image of a beautiful, well-endowed raven haired beauty appeared in front of Iruka-sensei, one hand on her back pushing out her breasts and the other on her hips. 

Jets of blood erupting from his nose sent Iruka reeling into the blackboard. "Dumbass! You fail!" 

Recca sniggered as he sauntered away. 

"Hanabishi, Matora!" 

I knew I was in Iruka-sensei's bad books as it was. I simply Henge'd into an image of him, to save myself strife. 

"You pass! Finally, someone with a brain! Uzumaki, Naruto!" 

I closed my eyes and sighed as, with a call of "Henge!", Naruto turned into an image of a _blonde_ female, buck naked, blowing a kiss at the teacher. 

"Gyahahaha!," Naruto crowed as Iruka suffered blood loss again. "I call that one Sexy no Jutsu!" 

"You dumbass!," Iruka roared, sure now of who had come up with the 'technique'. "Don't invent stupid skills!" 

"Maybe Naruto could sell himself if he doesn't make it as a ninja," I offered, causing Naruto to glare at me, the rest of the class (except for Recca) to laugh, and Iruka to look disapprovingly at me.

* * *

"I won't let you two go home until you clean all of it up!," Iruka commanded Naruto and I. 

I groaned. The two of us were at the Kiba house again, this time to clean up the mess we had made. 

"Like I care!," Naruto yelled. 

Suddenly, a jet of water splashed onto the house, shortcircuiting our efforts with rags and buckets of water. We turned... to see Recca with the Kiba's garden hose. 

"Recca-niisan?," Naruto said, puzzled. 

"If you're any later home, I'll get in trouble," Recca said. He then made a victory sign with his fingers. "Team Hokage cannot lose!" 

Iruka shook his head, silently laughing. Well, at least they might get through the Genin _entrance_ exam.

* * *

The next morning, we all passed the Academy Graduation Exam... barely, in Recca and Naruto's cases. Both of them preferred straightforward action to plans, but luckily we were allowed two attempts each. Recca and Naruto needed both. 

"Now, I will call out your teams!," Iruka-sensei announced. Everyone promptly sat still. 

After the first several teams, Iruka-lazyass-sensei _finally_ got to the good teams. 

"Team Seven: Uzumaki Naruto, Hanabishi Matora--" 

Naruto and I exchanged a high five at this. 

"--and Uchiha Sasuke." 

Our faces dropped. Not him! 

"Iruka-sensei!," Naruto called out, finger pointed accusingly at Sasuke, "Why does an outstanding ninja like me have to be on the same team as that bum?!" 

"... Sasuke's grades were first among all thirty graduates," Iruka thundered, arms akimbo. "Naruto, you were dead last! We have to do this to balance the teams, you understand?" 

"Bah, just don't get in my way... dead last," Sasuke said. 

"What did you call me?," Naruto said disbelievingly. 

"Give it a rest, Naruto," I moaned. 

"Team Eight," Iruka-sensei continued. "Haruno Sakura, Yamazaki Ino, and Naru Shikamaru!" 

"That's going to be fun to observe," I said. "An ongoing catfight while the third member watches clouds." 

"Team Nine! Hanabishi Recca, Akimichi Chouji, and Kirisawa Fuuko!" 

Fuuko got an evil smile on her face at that, fingering the tip of one of her kunai while she gazed at Recca, who frowned. 

"Team Ten! Ishijima Domon, Hyuuga Hinata, and Inuzuka Kiba!" 

"Domon, Hinata, I feel sorry for you, being saddled with the mongrel," I called out. 

"What was that, Hanabishi?!," Kiba yelled back. I grinned, as he was still unaware of my status as a weretiger. 

"Okay, this afternoon we'll introduce the jounin sensei," Iruka said, completely ignoring the various fights that had broken out. "Take a break until then."

* * *

Naruto and I looked up as two figures approached us. 

Ino and Sakura. Damn. I had expected them to wait until tomorrow or something. 

"We have a bone to pick with you two," Sakura said, cracking her knuckles. 

"Don't look at me, look at Iruka-sensei," I said, holding up my hands in a defensive placating gesture. "I had less than nothing to do with it." 

"Na-ru-to?," Ino said questioningly, scowling. 

"I hate him! Why would I _want_ to be in the same team as him?," Naruto protested. 

The two girls paused to think this over, and then had the decency to apologise. 

"We're sorry," Ino said. "Now, if you'll excuse us, we have matters to discuss between each other." 

I got up, walking over to where Shikamaru was lying on the grass after eating his lunch. "Hey." 

"Hi," Shikamaru returned. 

"Man, do I feel sorry for you," I said. 

"Hihihi! I bet I know who'll wear the pants in _your_ team!," Naruto sniggered. 

"So troublesome," Ino and Sakura's teammate complained.

* * *

"Stupid goddamn useless lameass mother $#ing so-called jounin so-called sensei!," I ranted. 

"Why is the sensei of our Team Seven so damn late?," Naruto bitched. "All the other teams have gone off with their sensei. And Iruka-sensei has left!" 

"I hope that Recca and Fuuko's sensei survives to actually teach," I observed. 

"Hihi! Yeah, he did look pretty sick," Naruto agreed, kicking his heels. He ran up to the blackboard, grabbing a chalk duster then running to the door. 

"Stop!," I commanded. 

"Fun killer," Naruto accused. 

I went and got some chalk. "Bring the duster here." 

Naruto grinned evilly as we ground fresh chalk dust into the duster straight from the new chalk, then put the duster wedged up between the sliding door and the frame. 

"That's what you get for being late!," Naruto said cheerfully. 

"Pft, like a jounin is going to fall for such a simple booby trap," Sasuke said, from where his fingers were arched in front of his face, looking far too much like Ikari Gendou for my liking. 

Right after he said that, a figure poked their head through the door, dislodging the duster and causing it to fall onto their head. Chalk swirled around, coating their forehead protector in white chalk dust. 

"Gyahahahaha!," Naruto laughed, pointing. "You fell for it!" 

I silently smiled. 

The man finished walking through the door. He was dressed in black, with a green flak jacket. A mask covered his lower face, and his forehead protector covered up his right eye, leaving his left exposed. 

"Hmmm... how can I say this?," the man wondered, holding his hand up to his chin in thought. "My first impression is... I don't like you guys."

* * *

"Okay, let's start with some introductions," the man said. 

We were all sitting on the roof of the Academy, where they had a garden. 

"What do you want to know?," Sasuke said coolly. 

"How about... your likes, your dislikes, dreams for the future, hobbies, stuff like that," the man elaborated. 

"Hey hey, why don't you introduce yourself first?," Naruto suggested. 

"Oh... me? My name is Hatake Kakashi. I have no desire to tell you guys about my likes and dislikes. Dreams for the future? Hmm... well, I have lots of hobbies." 

"So all we learned... was his name?," Naruto said incredulously. 

"Not really," I said. "We could go look his public records up, since now we know his name and what he looks like." 

"You could," Kakashi shrugged. "Now it's your turn, from the right." 

"Me! Me!," Naruto said, excited. "My name is Uzumaki Naruto, and Matora's parents adopted me. I like cup ramen! What I like even better is the ramen that okaasan makes. What I dislike is waiting for the ramen to cook. My dream... is to surpass Hokage, and make people accept me, Recca, Matora, Fuuko, Domon, and the others! Hobbies... pranks, I guess." 

"I see," Kakashi said, scratching his head. "Next?" 

"My name is Uchiha Sasuke. There are a ton of things I dislike, but nothing I really like. And... I don't want to use the term dream, but... I have an ambition. The resurrection of my clan, and to kill a certain man." 

Kakashi sighed. 

"You mean you don't like girls, or the thought of getting laid?," I asked. "You gay or something?" 

Naruto edged away from Sasuke as the Uchiha gave me a truly evil glare. 

"Okay... and lastly, you." 

"Me? Well, my name is Hanabishi Matora. I like books, and getting things done with a minimum of screwing acround. I dislike bugs, dogs, and stupid people. My dreams... well, to have a good life, I suppose, and to look after my friends and family. I have some hobbies, too. Oh, and since you're all my team now, I guess you'd better know that I'm a weretiger." 

"A what?," Sasuke asked. frowning. Cool! I knew something he didn't! 

"That's old news, Matora-niisan," Naruto said. 

"It's new news to me," Kakashi said easily. "I've never met a weretiger... demonstrate, please?" 

I obliged, changing form to halfway between tiger and human. I got another foot or two of height in this form. Then I changed to full tiger, my clothes disappearing to God and Hokage-sama knows where. 

"Amazing," Kakashi said. "I never heard of a weretiger, before." 

"Hokage-sama helped him with it," Naruto chimed in. 

I changed back to human, clothes reappearing on me. 

"That explains a great deal about your relationship with Inuzuka Kiba," Sasuke said dispassionately. 

"That's enough of that," Kakashi sighed. "We will start our duties tomorrow." 

"Be still, my beating heart," I muttered. Louder, I said, "What, exactly, are we doing tomorrow?" 

"First, we are going to do something with just the four of us," Kakashi said, arms folded. 

"What? What?," Naruto asked, eager as anything. 

"Survival training." 

"Survival training?," Naruto asked. 

"God, I _hate_ survival training," I muttered. And it was true, too -- dirt, mud, and all the bugs you could squash. 

"I'm your opponent, but this isn't your usual training," Kakashi continued, an evil gleam in his eye. 

"Then! Then! What is it?," Naruto asked. 

"Hehehe...," Kakashi said. I patiently waited for him to hurry the hell up. "When I tell you guys this, you are definitely going to flip." 

"You... you... even if Sasuke's into guys, I don't wanna part of it!," I yelled. This was boring, dammit! 

"I am not gay," Sasuke said cooly. 

"Of the twenty seven graduates, only twelve will be chosen as genin. The rest will be sent back to the Academy," Kakashi said, eye half lidded. "This training is a super difficult exam with a failure rate of over sixty six percent!" 

Naruto bugged out. I sighed -- it figured, be too easy to just let us be genin. Sasuke just stared cooly at Kakashi. 

"Aw, man... but we worked so hard at graduating!," Naruto protested. (I snorted -- the last thing Naruto worked hard on was egging Kiba's house.) 

"Oh, that? That's just to select those who have the chance at becoming genin. Anyway, tomorrow you will be graded on the training field," Kakashi said. "Bring all your shinobi tools. Oh, and don't have breakfast, or you'll definitely throw up." 

He then handed us some computer printouts. (Someone with access to Hokage's office -- the rest of the village was only allowed radios and compact disc players.) "The details can be found on this printout. Don't be late tomorrow."

* * *

Post-fic Comments: 

Well, despite the fair amount of canon dialog, the next part will have a fairly divergent scene. 


	5. Part 5

Summary: Recca, Kagero, and a SI are placed in the world of the Nine Tails 

Crossover: Flame of Recca, Naruto 

Disclaimer: I don't own what other people do. I do own me, though. 

Feedback: Sure thing... I like hearing how I can improve :) 

Pre-fic Comments: 

Why yes, yes I do suck at summaries and names. 

ranma hibiki: I think I read the idea somewhere else... not sure. Anyway, it appealed to me :) 

Alex DarkFire: Chouji is stuck between Recca and Fuuko. Given Fuuko's rivalry with Recca, he'll either get depressed and stop training, or he'll feel challenged and train more. You have to feel sorry for Hinata, though -- either she develops a spine or she is lost beneath the noise that Domon and Kiba generate... as a bonus though, I can't see Domon allowing anyone to pound on someone that he thinks is okay. 

TimeReaper: Is this soon enough? :) 

Maximufive: I'm really, really bored at the moment so I'm trying to write when I get bored. Naruto is clearly plotted enough that I can write relatively quickly... make me make up plot and I write a great deal slower, I assure you.

* * *

"'Kaasan?," I said at breakfast, before it was served. "Kakashi-sensei said for Naruto and me to not have breakfast this morning." 

"Really?," Kagero-kaasan said, a secret hidden in her eyes. 

"What gives?," I asked. "You know something." 

"Hayate-sensei told my team not to have breakfast either," Recca spoke up. 

Naruto, Recca and I looked at each other. 

"Okaasan, please put some of my breakfast rice into my bento?," I asked firmly. If Kakashi was jerking us around, then boom, breakfast on the spot, but otherwise I was still safe. 

"Me too?," the other two asked. 

"Naruto?," Kagero-kaasan called out as we were about to walk out the door, bento and backpacks in hand. "Play nice with the other kids today." 

"And Matora, look after your brother!," Shigeo called out as well, teasing us.

* * *

I groaned, looking at my watch. "Man... it's ten o'clock already!" 

"Kakashi-sensei sure is late," Naruto said. 

"Well... might as well have breakfast," I said, bringing out the extra bit of rice okaasan had given me. 

"Sugoi!," Naruto cheered, stomach grumbling like crazy. He pulled out his own, and started eating. 

"Don't give me that look," I grumbled. 

"I'm not looking at you!," Naruto shot back. 

"No, Sasuke-baka," I explained. Looking down at the small box, I saw that half of the rice was gone. I thrust it at him. "Here, you might as well finish it off." 

"Kakashi-sensei said not to eat breakfast," Sasuke said. 

"If we throw up, we throw up," I said. 

Naruto didn't say anything, as he was finishing off the rest of his breakfast. 

Right after we had put away the boxes, Kakashi _finally_ turned up. 

"Hey guys, good morning!," Kakashi said cheerfully. 

"YOU'RE LATE!," all of us poor Genin said. 

"Well, there was this ladder, and I had to detour around it, so," Kakashi began. 

"I guess you're not such a good ninja if that's such a hassle," I said acridly. 

Kakashi ignored me, bringing out a clock, which he set on a treestump. "Okay, it's set for noon. Here are two bells -- your task is to take them from me before noon. Those who cannot get a bell before noon... get no lunch. I'll not only tie you to one of those stumps, I'll eat right in front of you." 

All three of us grinned at this. So that was why he had told us not to eat! I frowned slightly -- did he know that we had had a bit to eat earlier? 

"You only need to get one bell," Kakashi continued. "There are only two, so one of you will definitely be tied to a stump. And... the person who doesn't take a bell fails. So at least one of you will be sent back to the Academy. You can even use your shuriken -- you won't succeed unless you come at me with intent to kill." 

"It doesn't worry you that a few homicidal genin will be after you?," I asked. 

"Yeah, you're so slow you can't even dodge a blackboard eraser!," Naruto laughed. "We'll kill you!" 

"In the real world, those with no talent often bark the loudest," Kakashi said, eye half lidded. "Well, ignore Mister Dead Last, and start when I say." 

Naruto growled out loud at that. 

"Okay, ready... start!"

* * *

I sighed. 

Naruto had gone for the straightforward 'try to smack the crap out of him' approach. I got a damn good laugh out of Kakashi's 'Hidden Leaf Ancient Taijutsu Supreme Technique: A Thousand Years Of Pain', though, and made a mental note about it. 

Sasuke had gone the same route, but with fire jutsu. Kakashi settled for burying him in the ground up to his neck, rather than poking him up the ass. 

"Well, ready to work with me?," I asked Naruto. 

"... yes," Naruto admitted. He knew from past experience when doing big pranks that help, like from Recca and I (hypothetically, of course), meant that things were a damn sight easier. 

"Let's go round up Sasuke, and I'll outline a plan," I said. 

A few minutes of digging and hauling later, the three of us were argueing under a tree. 

"Look, Sasuke, it's eleven damn well thirty," I yelled, pissed. "Work with me, goddammit!" 

"What about the bells?," Sasuke asked. "Who goes without?" 

"Well, if I take them, I've gotten them, and if I pass them to you two, then you have gotten them too," I said. "He didn't say that we had to all hold them at the same time we got them, ne?" 

Evil grins sprouted on their faces. Hallelujah! There was hope for Sasuke yet! (I wasn't stupid enough to say this out loud, though.) 

"What do we do? What? What?," Naruto asked eagerly. 

"I want you two to start fighting Kakashi, distracting him while I go for the prize," I said. They would be the obvious idiots, as I termed the positions mentally. "After I've gotten the bells, run back here." 

"Okay! Let's go!"

* * *

Kakashi absently read his book, senses honed to see whether his three students were going to attack. 

"Oraaaaaa!," Naruto roared, leaping at Kakashi with fist outstretched. 

He dodged it easily, turning the page. Then moved unexpectedly, as Sasuke joined him. Well, he didn't think that would happen. Now, where was the third member? 

As he moved about, dodging the strikes of Naruto and Sasuke, I slipped into the shadow-world near the area, falling beneath the black surface like a stone dropping into a calm pool. 

Wherever there was shadow, I could see out into the real world, but wherever there was light, I could see nothing. A rapidly moving confusion of shadows jumped about -- Kakashi-sensei, Naruto, and Sasuke, obviously, as they moved and thus caused their shadows to move. I assumed that the middle collection of shadows was Kakashi, and grabbed hold of one of the windows to the real world so I could reach out. 

Kakashi moved all the harder as he felt an unseen person grab hold of him, somewhere, as my hands moved from the shadows of his bum bag to his waist, grabbing the two bells. Once this had been done, I let go and moved through the shadow world to where we had agreed on the plan.

* * *

Kakashi was honestly surprised. He hadn't thought that they would be able to take the bells from him, as Naruto and Sasuke had argued like cats and dogs. But they had, and so neatly that he hadn't noticed which one took them. 

It was a shame that Matora hadn't tried to attack him at all. 

He was therefore surprised when all three walked out of the woods. 

I held the two bells up clearly so he could see them, handing one each to Sasuke and Naruto. 

"Well done," Kakashi said simply. "How did you get them, Sasuke, Naruto?" 

"We didn't," Naruto laughed, hands behind his head. "Matora did!" 

"I didn't know you had an invisibility technique," Kakashi said. Those were rare. 

"I don't," I replied. "I can move through shadow, though." 

"Ahhhh, I see," Kakashi said. "Like your mother's Eikai Ball. Well, Naruto and Sasuke pass, but--" 

"--Ahhht!," I interrupted. "I got two bells -- _got_ -- then I passed one each to the others, who both _got_ a bell. So we all got bells, just not at the same time." 

"Well, at the moment, Naruto and Sasuke are the only people who 'got' the bells," Kakashi said. He held up some rope.

* * *

I scowled from where Kakashi had tied me up. He'd pronounced that, due to trying to manipulate him, we all had to retake the test during the afternoon. But, since I was the only one not holding a bell during said manipulating and rule-bending, I got tied up with no lunch. Personally, I thought it was damn hypocritical of Kakashi to say so, given that we were ninja and not samurai, but he said that he made the rules. 

"Stupid goddamn useless lameass goat f/ck/ng sensei!," I screamed to heaven. "Give me my goddamn bento!" 

Sasuke sighed, then held his bento that Kakashi had given him up to me. 

"Er, didn't he say not to feed me?," I said. 

"If you don't get anything to eat, you'll just make noise and give us away later on," Sasuke said, holding his bento up. 

"Go, Matora-niisan!," Naruto cheered, holding his bento up to me with both hands. 

A blast of smoke appeared in front of us all, as Kakashi-sensei appeared with a foul mood apparent in his eye. "What's this? YOU GUYS..." 

We all covered our faces. Well, those of us lucky enough to be able to. 

"Pass," Kakashi finished with a far too pleasant gleam in his eye.

* * *

That evening, we all discussed our day at the table. 

"... and then he said that we pass!," Naruto said, excited. 

"And how was your day, Recca?," Shigeo-tousan asked. 

"Interesting, I guess," Recca said. "We had to get those bells, too, but Chouji convinced us to work together since he was scared stiff of having to do it on his own." 

"How'd you do it?," I asked. 

"Fuuko nailed Hayate-sensei's feet to the floor, Chouji sat on him so he couldn't escape or use hand seals, and I took the bells since I'm better than Fuuko," Recca grinned smugly. "We did it quicker than you!" 

"Well, if Naruto and Sasuke-baka hadn't tried to do it on their own first, we'd've beaten you," I complained. 

Kagero laughed. "He's going to hear about it from Hatake tonight." 

"You know him, 'kaasan?," I asked. 

Kagero nodded. "I've done a few jobs for Hokage-sama with him." 

"What do you think we're going to do tomorrow, bro?," Naruto asked, excited. "Guard an important person, steal secret documents... oooh, or assasinate someone!" 

Kagero hid a smile behind a hand. 

"Knowing my luck, we'll be digging ditches," I predicted morosely.

* * *

"Dammit, Matora! Why'd you have to jinx us last night?," Naruto bitched me out as we shovelled potatoes. 

"It wasn't my fault!," I claimed.

* * *

Babysitting. More farm work. Shopping -- at neighbouring villages, just for the extra exercise. Walking dogs. 

Truly, being a Genin sucked ass. 

And, to add insult to injury, Kakashi didn't actually teach us anything. He didn't help on those so called 'missions, either. No, he _supervised_, as he put it. 

"Teach us something, you stupid moron!," I yelled at him as Team Seven met on the bridge one morning. He was late, as per usual. 

"Teach? But we still have these missions to do," Kakashi said, holding up some printouts. 

"I don't give a good goddamn about old lady Yamanaka's flowerbeds, I don't give a shit about the Inuzuka dogs, and if I ever see another goddamn garden, Konoha is gonna have a few more areas of devastation!" 

"You tell him!," Naruto cheered. 

Sasuke stayed quiet, of course. He still had to live with Kakashi. 

"It's just as well we don't have to do any of that, then," Kakashi said. 

"Oooo, ooo, C-Rank mission?," Naruto asked, excited. "Oh, I bet it's a B-rank!" 

"We're not that lucky," I muttered. 

"All the tourists left trash in Konoha River, so we have to clean it up!" 

Which was why, that evening, I was back in the Konoha Public Library. 

And as soon as I found a fitting punishment, Kakashi was going to get it. Ooooo, genjutsu to cause temporary impotence... perfect for our hentai of a sensei. 

"Recca doesn't have a perverted idiot, no, _Recca_ gets a sensei who actually _teaches_," I muttered. 

Dammit. 


	6. Part 6

Summary: Recca, Kagero, and a SI are placed in the world of the Nine Tails 

Crossover: Flame of Recca, Naruto 

Disclaimer: I don't own what other people do. I do own me, though. 

Feedback: Sure thing... I like hearing how I can improve :) I also like hearing people's opinions on things. 

Pre-fic Comments: 

I've been playing Hitman: Contracts recently, so unless someone makes a case otherwise, you might be seeing Mr 47 in this fic. 

ranma hibiki: While that would be fun, it would be even more fun to use the Thousand Years of Pain on someone else... in public... hehe. Also, you need to be a bit quicker than your opponent to use it, otherwise the other person gets the hell out of the way, unless you judge them stoopid enuff to actually stay where they are. Hmmm... just thought of a good omake. 

Alex DarkFire: It won't be _quite_ as bad as in canon -- ninja in Naruto are loyal to a concept (their village and kage) rather than a person, meaning that part of Fuuko's impetus to beat Recca is gone. And as for Kakashi's teaching... nothing in the manga to suggest that he took the time to teach them while they took the D mission, and he was pretty damn prejudiced in favour of Sasuke. (Doesn't Ebisu's arrogance wanna make you pop him one, right in the kisser? And the way Kakashi brushed Naruto off to him seems like he was trying to say "Go away kid, yer botherin' me!") 

Night-Owl123: Thanks for the encouragement... came right when I was starting to get bored :)

* * *

"Hey, bro," Naruto began. "You read heaps -- can you teach me?" 

I yawned, looking up from where I was working on that genjutsu I had thought up so long ago. The problem wasn't so much getting to talk to the Morino Clan as it was talking to them. Old man Morino liked to play the cryptic asian gentleman, and Morino Ibiki was a plain pain in the ass to get to, working in ANBU and all. So while I got a fair amount of tips, hints and cryptic riddles I had to figure out the actual jutsu myself. 

"What do you want to know?," I asked. 

"Ninjutsu," Naruto said, as if it were obvious. 

"Well," I mused, picking up a few closed scrolls. "I found some scrolls hidden at the Library... here's a scroll I found on Taijutsu, the Thousand Fist Mountain, and there is also a scroll on advanced bunshin here..." 

Naruto hated taijutsu. Mainly because it involved actual physical training. He took the bunshin scroll. "Hmmm... what's Kage Bunshin?" 

"I dunno," I said, waving him away. "Shoo. Go on, geddoutta here." 

I paused, running over what I said a moment ago as Naruto wandered off, reading the scroll with a stupidly wide grin on his face. Bunshin? No, before that... ah! The Yama Sen Ken. Where had I heard that before? 

I knew it wasn't in this life. The problem was that as time went on, it was harder to remember details from my previous life as an anime geek. Anime... martial arts... that was it! Ranma! I slapped myself on the forehead, cracking open the Yama Sen Ken scroll. 

Well... damn... 

I then rolled it back up again. I needed to get my arm speed up to do some of the techniques for that... stupid vacuum blades. I'd have to remember to show it to 'kaasan, ask her about some of it.

* * *

"Hey, 'kaasan," I said over breakfast. 

"Yes, Matora?," Kagero-kaasan asked. 

"I've been saving up my pay from my Genin missions, and was wondering if you could order a custom weapon from the weaponsmith?" 

"What kind?," Naruto asked. 

"A zanbatou," I beamed, saying it as if kids /always/ asked for swords longer than a grown man was tall. 

"A zanbatou?," Kaasan asked, eyebrows raised. "Are you strong enough? You are twelve, after all." 

I grinned. "If I'm not as a human, I can change!" 

"Let him," Shigeo-tousan said from where he was working his way through some miso. "It's his money." 

"Okay, okay," Kaasan said, accepting the bag of dosh I'd been saving up. "I'll go see the shop before work." 

"Alright!," I cheered. I handed Kagero-kaasan a sheet of paper. "Here's the basic plan I want, nothing fancy at all." 

Naruto hauled me to my feet. "Come on, we'll be late!"

* * *

The sun found me yawning as we waited (again) for Kakashi. Naruto, of course, was disgustingly active considering it was early in the morning at nine AM. I shifted slightly, black boots grinding the dirt under my heel. I also had on an Iron Maiden tshirt. Well, and the normal shuriken holster and general tool bag, of course. 

"I did it, bro!," Naruto crowed. "I did that technique!" 

"Great, good for you," I said. "Wake me up when pervert-sensei turns up." 

"Oi oi oi, look!," Naruto said. "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" 

Sasuke's attention was drawn as twenty Naruto's appeared behind the original. One hyperactive Naruto was bad enough, Sasuke paled at the thought of more than one. "W-where did you learn that?!" 

"Matora lent me this cool scroll," Naruto said, in a twenty one piece chorus. 

"Please stop that," I said. "I need to get to bed earlier." 

"That's what you get for staying up late," Naruto retorted. "Hey, did you get that genjutsu figured out?" 

"I think I've worked it out," I yawned. "I just need to refine it, so it doesn't use up so much damn chakra." 

"What's this genjutsu?," a familiar voice asked. 

"YOU'RE LATE!," Naruto and I chorused, Naruto's kage bunshins disappearing in clouds of smoke. 

"Nothing important," I said dismissively. "So, what are we doing today? Painting fences?" 

"No, you should like this one, Matora," Kakashi said happily. 

"I bet we're cleaning the Library then," Naruto predicted gloomily. 

"Nope! We're looking for the Daimyo's wife's cat," Kakashi said. "He ran into the woods, and is lost. He has brown fur all over, a red ribbon on his left ear, and a scar on the top of his head." 

Kakashi paused for a moment, a satisfied grin growing beneath that mask of his. "And his name is _Tora_." 

I rolled my eyes. "Ha, ha. Which direction did the cat run in?"

* * *

"What's the distance to the target?," Kakashi asked over the radio headset. 

"Five meters," I said in a low voice, almost a purr due to the fact I was in my hybrid form to use my sensitive nose. (It's only cheating if I'm not doing it. Ninja, not samurai, after all.) 

"I'm ready any time," Naruto said immediately. 

"So am I," Sasuke agreed. 

"Me too," I chimed in. 

"Okay!," Kakashi said approvingly. "Go!" 

I leapt forwards towards the cat, which immediately ran in the other direction. (Hey, wouldn't you if a tiger leapt out at you?) Luckily, Naruto and Sasuke were in wait there for it, and Naruto promptly grabbed it. 

"Gotcha!," Naruto said triumphantly. 

"Ribbon on the left ear... are you sure this is Tora?," Kakashi asked, voice crackly. 

"Yeah, we're sure," Sasuke confirmed over his headset. 

"Good," Kakashi said, satisfied. "Lost pet 'Tora' search mission... complete!" 

"You know, it isn't really complete until the cat is back in Lady Whatshername's arms," I pointed out as I detransformed back to human. 

"Matora, _shut up!_," all of the three others yelled.

* * *

"Ohhh, my cute little Tora-chan," Lady Shijimi cooed, holding the cat 'lovingly'. She looked like she could give Elmira from Tiny Toons a lesson or two. "I was so worried!" 

Personally, I thought the cat had a valid reason for legging it. 

"Now, Kakashi's Team Seven," Hokage began, looking over the D-Rank mission list, "your next duty is... hmmm... babysitting an elder's grandson, shopping in a neighbouring village, and help with the potato digging." 

"We have to be able to do Bunshin no Jutsu to dig potatoes and go shopping now?," I asked mildly. "Attaaaaaack.... of the killer potaaaaatoes!" 

This didn't cheer Naruto up. It only made him madder. "NO! NO! NO! No thank you! I want to do, you know, a more incredible mission! Find us a better one!" 

I groaned. Yelling at your superiors hardly ever did much. 

After a short argument between Iruka, who was helping Hokage today, and Naruto, followed by an explanation by Hokage-sama about how missions worked (the salient facts of which were 'Genin get the crappy ass ones'), Hokage-sama relented. 

"Okay," he said, "if you want it that much... I'll give you a C-Rank mission. It's the protection of a certain individual." 

"Yay!," Naruto cheered from where he was sitting on the floor. "Who? Who? A Lord? A Princess?" 

"Calm down, I'm about to introduce him," Hokage said wearily. "Hey, will you come in here?" 

My sensitive nose smelt him before I saw him. A blast of alcohol laden air, mixed with a certain scent indicating too much time on the road and too little time in the bath house. The man was dressed simply, had glasses on, and a backpack. He held an open bottle of sake in one hand. 

"What's this?," he asked. "They're all a bunch of super brats. Especially the shortest one with the super stupid looking face. Are you really a ninja?" 

As you can imagine, Naruto didn't really appreciate that, and would probably have maimed the man if Kakashi had not held him back. A stream of invective followed, before Kakashi bopped him on the head and told him to shut up. 

"I am the super expert bridge builder Tazuna," the man said. "I expect you to provide me super protection until I get back to my country and finish the bridge." 

"Sure thing," I said. "Just one thing..." 

"What?," the man snapped. 

"Can you take a bath before we go? _Please?_," I begged. My nose was still near tiger level, so soon after being in hybrid form.

* * *

And so we walked out the big, wide open gates of Konoha. Naruto was even more excited than usual, this being the first time he'd been out of the village without Okaasan to hold his hand. I didn't tease him about that, since he'd turn it on me, and Sasuke didn't know. 

And, about halfway down the road, he began squabbling with Tazuna after the man baited Naruto, claiming that the blonde was a useless ninja. 

"I'll kill you!," Naruto roared, after Tazuna had said that even if Naruto did become Hokage, he still wouldn't acknowledge him. 

Teasing Naruto is second only to teasing Kiba, when it comes to having fun. Oops... third, sorry, I forgot about Fuuko and Domon trying to beat Recca. 

"I said stop, moron," Kakashi said, clamping down on Naruto's head. 

"Oi, Tazuna-san," I said, trying to change the subject, "You're from the Wave Country, right?" 

"What? What about it?," the bridge builder asked. He still had his bottle of sake open, and he still stunk to the high heavens. 

"Are there any ninja there? I mean, are we gonna have to fight ninja from other countries?" 

Sasuke perked up at this. He'd been looking distinctly bored. 

"A small island country like the Wave doesn't have a hidden village," Kakashi explained. "Don't worry, there won't be any ninja combat in a C-Rank mission." 

Something pricked at the back of my mind, as we side stepped a puddle of water. I was forgetting something again... what was it? 

I frowned, staying close to Tazuna. 

The sound of chain rattling made itself known through my musings, as we all spun to find Kakashi bound in a length of chain held at each end by freaks in camo pants and black capes. The Demon Brothers. Damn, knew I was forgetting something. I drew a kunai, holding it as a dagger as I stood in front of Tazuna. 

They drew their chain taunt, ripping Kakashi-sensei apart in a spray of blood and body parts. 

"Kyaaa! Ka... Kakashi-sensei!," Naruto cried out, paralysed as he panicked. 

"Two down," one of the Demon Brothers whispered, as they moved to take out Naruto. 

Sasuke leapt up, throwing a kunai that nailed the length of chain to a tree as he kicked the two missing nin in the head, holding onto their arms both for stabilization during the kicks and to try and hold them still. As the chain end tied to each one's gauntlet broke, pulled beyond maximum extension, they ran, claws on their massive gauntlets outstretched to take out Naruto that way. To my surprise, Naruto seemed rooted to the spot in panic. 

Another ran towards me, and my grip on my kunai tightened as I protected Tazuna. The sharp, undoubtedly poisoned metal claws arced towards my head -- but I couldn't run; they'd take out the client, then. I held my kunai to parry the claws. 

Wasn't I lucky, then, that the _real_ Kakashi turned up about then to lay the smack down? 

I hoped. 


	7. Part 7

Summary: Recca, Kagero, and a SI are placed in the world of the Nine Tails 

Crossover: Flame of Recca, Naruto 

Disclaimer: I don't own what other people do. I do own me, though. 

Feedback: Sure thing... I like hearing how I can improve :) I also like hearing people's opinions on things. 

Pre-fic Comments: 

ranma hibiki: in fairness to Naruto and Sasuke, in the fic Matora scared the cat _towards_ them, and Naruto caught it. As for the zanbatou... can't go around playing with everyone's head. 

Alex DarkFire: At a guess, I'd say that Kakashi and Itachi stole Kage Bunshin through Sharingan. But the Library did seem like a convenient plot excuse. 

C.M Aeris Queen of Insanity: Don't worry, Sakura-chan will be turning up eventually. She isn't present in this part as the teams aren't interacting... well, not from Team Seven's point of view. I like her, apart from her Sasuke-idiot tendencies, as she isn't cute, like the manga-ka said in one of the early volumes... I'm sure Recca and everyone else teased Naruto for her :) Thanks for the compliments... I don't have the URL for Sleepingbear; could you send it to me at all?

* * *

Kakashi clotheslined the two freaks, knocking them out. Just in time, too - one of them had started to charge towards me, gauntlet outstretched. 

"Naruto, sorry I didn't save you immediately," Kakashi said, "I got you injured - I didn't think you'd freeze up like that. Good job, Sasuke." 

Naruto was still wide eyed as he rose to his feet. His left hand was still bleeding from where one of the gauntlets had scratched him. 

"You alright, scaredy cat," Sasuke asked Naruto, disdain dancing in his eyes. 

"I'm afraid we didn't have the luxury of experiencing death _up close_ and personal before now like you, Sasuke," I bit out. 

He winced at that. It was a low blow, but I didn't care. 

"Naruto, Matora, save it for later," Kakashi commanded. "Their claws are soaked in poison - we have to remove it quickly. We must open the wound and remove the poisoned blood from your body. Don't move much - the poison will spread. Tazuna-san?" 

The bridge builder looked up. "What?" 

And with that, Kakashi questioned him as to why the Mist-nin had attacked. While we had been told that the mission was a C-Rank, meaning only bandits at worst, encountering enemy nin had bumped it up to a B-Rank mission, something Genin were not supposed to be involved in. 

"We should try and get Naruto healed first," I said. "Maybe we should go back to Konoha and regroup." 

"This might be too much," Kakashi admitted. "I guess we should return to the village to treat Naruto." 

The quiet sound of flesh being torn slashed through the small clearing, and we all turned to find Naruto stabbing a kunai in his left hand, causing blood to flow quickly from the poisoned wound. 

"You moron," I roared, aware of how I probably resembled Iruka-sensei but not caring. "What the hell are you doing!" 

"With this kunai," Naruto began quietly, turning with an evil look upon his face, metal point still in his hand, "I'll protect the old man. We're continuing the mission!" 

We all stood quietly as Naruto glared at all of us. From the corner of my eye, I saw admiration flicker on Sasuke's face for a moment. 

"Keep that up and you'll get iron poisoning as well," I said eventually. 

"Aaaaaa," Naruto yelled, breaking the spell of silence as he took out the kunai and began waving his bleeding hand about. Blood splattered on the ground. "No! That's bad! I can't die from something like that!" 

"Let me see your hand," Kakashi said, bringing out a roll of bandages. He paused as he rolled bandages on Naruto's hand. 

"Um... hey, am I going to be... okay," Naruto asked uneasily at his pause. 

"You're too stupid to be hurt by something like that," I said. 

"That's right," Naruto said, realising exactly what I said after he responded. "_HEY!_" 

"You should be fine," Kakashi reassured him. 

Sasuke looked irritated at the hold up now. Good to see that some things remain constant. 

"Sensei... I... have to talk to you," Tazuna said, standing apart from the group a bit. 

I sighed, as Tazuna went on to explain that a wealthy shipping magnate slash crime boss did not want him to finish the bridge, as that would stop a lot of profitable 'enterprises' the criminal had going. This world needed The Punisher, stat. I guess it would have to settle for Shi Shichi-san. 

And then came the guilt trip. Somehow, Tazuna managed to be completely gleeful while psychologically attacking pervert-sensei. I wish I could have taken notes, but that would have earned me a hundred push ups or something. 

I think it was mentioning the daughter hating Konoha after he died that convinced pervert-sensei to cave in and continue the mission.

* * *

The ferry to the Wave Country was fun... not. I hate boats. I hate water. I hate being in a boat on top of a hell of a lot of water. 

Strange, that. Tigers normally love swimming, but I hate it. Unless, of course, it's too damn hot not to. 

Once we got past the straits, and through a canal-tunnel into the Wave, the ferryman tied up his boat, and let us off. All the buildings at the small port were ramshackle, and were falling apart. 

"Okay! Get me home safely," Tazuna commanded as we left the port for his house. 

"Yes, yes," Kakashi said. It was obvious that he was tired already of this mission. 

Naruto was a little black stormcloud as we walked along, and glared at an uncaring Sasuke from time to time. I just knew he was going to do something stupid - he normally had that expression right after one of the villagers were mean to him, and right before he did something to them or their house. 

"There," Naruto yelled, making everyone jump as he threw a shuriken into the bushes. 

A notable lack of ninja failed to leap out at us. 

"Heh... just a rat," Naruto said, eyes closed in a cool pose. 

"If you do any more stupid shit," I said, eyes narrowing, "'Kaasan is gonna know." 

"Hey, stop using shuriken please," Kakashi asked. "It's seriously dangerous." 

"Midget," Tazuna chimed in. "Stop acting like a moron!" 

"Hey, I think I see a shadow," Naruto said, unabashed. Another shuriken made it's way into the bushes. "There!" 

I realised what he was doing - trying to compensate for freezing when the Demon Brothers attacked. "For the last damn time, stop being a retard!" 

"Someone is after us," Naruto protested. 

Kakashi held up a white rabbit by its ears. 

"Oh yes, but luckily we have Naruto the Great to kill all those carniverous goddamn rabbits," I spat. Sometimes, my adoptive brother _really_ got under my skin. 

"Oh, just a rabbit," Tazuna said, unimpressed. 

"I didn't mean it," Naruto cooed. "I'm sorry, lil' rabbit." 

"You couldn't even _hit_ it," I continued. I was tired, sweaty and well and truly tired of this mission. 

"Everyone, get down," Kakashi yelled from where he was thinking. 

Since pervert-sensei didn't talk that much, and almost never raised his voice, we all got. Sasuke made sure Tazuna was also gotten down. 

A dull, helicopter like whumpwhumpwhump sounded as a huge blade spun above our heads, slamming into a tree ahead of us. A man with stripy pants, no shirt, bandages covering his mouth, camo patterned arm covers, and camo patterned boots stood on the handle of the immense sword. 

"Well well, if it isn't the Hidden Mist's missing-nin Momochi Zabuza-kun," Kakashi said lazily, holding a hand in front of Naruto to stop him jumping forwards. "Everybody get back. This one's on a whole other level." 

I grinned stupidly. I knew this was dangerous, I knew the man was a killer, but... "This is so cool..." 

"It will be a little tough," Kakashi said, left hand going to his eye-covering forehead protector, "unless I do this." 

"You appear to be Sharingan Kakashi," Zabuza said. "Sorry, but the old man is mine." 

"Ewww," I cryed out. "I don't wanna know if you're gay like Sasuke-teme over there!" 

Sasuke glared at me, all over again. I felt so loved. 

"Surround and protect Tazuna-san," Kakashi commanded. "Do not enter the fight. That's teamwork, here. Zabuza, first, fight me." 

With that, he uncovered his Sharingan eye. 

"Ah, I'm honoured," Zabuza said. "I already get to see the famous Sharingan." 

"Sharingan," Naruto asked. "What the hell is that!" 

"Moron," I said affectionately. "It lets the user steal techniques after seeing them, and also lets them read your moves." 

Sasuke, who never liked me to begin with, glared again for the 'steal' crack. 

"When I was a member of the Hidden Mist assassination team," Zabuza said, "I kept a handbook, it included information on you. And this is what it said. 'The man who has copied over a thousand jutsu... Copy Ninja Kakashi." 

"You might want to add that he can't teach worth nuts," I cheekily spoke up, earning an absent backhand across the back of my head that stung from Kakashi. It was worth it. 

"Now... let's end all the talking. I have to kill that old man."

* * *

That was about when it really started to suck. 

Zabuza appeared, pulling a Jesus on top of the nearby lake and creating a thick mist that covered everything. I couldn't see far, and if I wanted to be able to detect him I'd have to change to hybrid form to smell him. And I didn't want knowledge of _that_ little advantage to get out. 

Us three Genin surrounded Tazuna, but Zabuza appeared in our midst with his huge sword. Kakashi appeared just as swiftly, stabbing Zabuza and showing that body to be a water clone. Zabuza reappeared behind Kakashi, and showed Kakashi's body to be a water clone too, as he bisected it with his sword. 

I really, really hoped that I didn't get stabbed because I was sure that _I_ wasn't a clone. 

Kakashi reappeared behind Zabuza. I'd be willing to bet money at this stage that that Zabuza was a water clone. Half a second later, Zabuza proved me right as he appeared behind Kakashi who was behind the original Zabuza clone. Kakashi dispelled the clone in front of him by dispelling it, but this was still a pain to keep track of. 

At my prompting, the three of us moved away from the two fighters, keeping ourselves between them and Tazuna at all times. 

"Matora," Naruto hissed at me. "Do that genjutsu!" 

"It's too damn misty and I need to protect Tazuna," I hissed at Naruto. 

"Can't you take him through the shadows to a safe place," Sasuke asked. 

"Where's a safe place," I asked helplessly. 

Naruto closed his eyes and hmm'ed briefly, thinking. 

"Okay, I've got a plan," he hissed.

* * *

Zabuza swung his sword around at Kakashi, who promptly ducked. The large sword was planted in the ground, and Zabuza used the end of it as leverage to swing a kick at the silver haired Jounin, who got hit and fell back several meters, kindly leaving caltrops on the ground for Zabuza to step on. 

Unfortunately for Kakashi, he landed in the lake and the figure of Zabuza making handseals appeared in front of him. 

"Heh, fool. Water prison no Jutsu!" 

"What," Kakashi said, both eyes wide open. Somehow, he managed to be able to breathe while caught in Zabuza's globe of water. I guess that's why it was called Water Prison, and not Water Coffin. 

"You may have been trying to escape into the water, but that was a mistake. I now have you in my inescapeable special prison," Zabuza gloated. "It makes things tougher if you can move, you know?" 

Naruto, Matora, and Sasuke moved back from the shore, Tazuna still guarded behind them. 

"It makes it tougher if you can move, you know? Now... Kakashi, we can finish things later. First, I'll take care of the job. Water clone no Jutsu!" 

A pillar of water rose from the lake, shaping itself into the figure of Zabuza as it gained colour and texture, complete with his large sword. Zabuza-clone opened his eyes, and threw the large sword at the group along the ground, forcing them to jump. Tazuna, being an old man wearing a pack, could barely jump high enough. 

Running forwards, Zabuza-clone leapt over the three of us, pulling a kunai out of one of his arm sleeve and throwing it directly at Tazuna's head, who seemed frozen in fear. Naruto, Sasuke, and Matora were still sprawled on the ground.

* * *


	8. Part 8

Summary: Recca, Kagero, and a SI are placed in the world of the Nine Tails 

Crossover: Flame of Recca, Naruto 

Disclaimer: I don't own what other people do. I do own me, though. 

Feedback: Sure thing... I like hearing how I can improve :) I also like hearing people's opinions on things. 

Pre-fic Comments: 

If you want a sneak peek as to the inspiration for a few (very!) future fights, check out chapters 6-8 of the Rurouni Kenshin manga. (Yes, I do have a Sanosuke action figure with a zanbatou standing by my monitor. Sanosuke is cool, even after his weapon is destroyed.) 

The bass in 'Dry County' by Bon Jovi is unbelievable - it feels like it's making your whole body resonate, even with headphones. (Quality studio headphones, mind you.) 

ranma hibiki: That sounds like an embarassing story... want to share it? 

GandalfTG: Thanks for the compliment :) 

Alex DarkFire: When I get bored and tired, I get shitty with people. That's coming through, somewhat, in this fic.

* * *

Kakashi's eyes half-closed themselves as the sharp kunai sunk into Tazuna's head, then both Kakashi and Zabuza gasped with wide eyes as the Tazuna figure showed itself to be a Kage Bunshin, disappearing into black puffs of smoke. 

"Looks like I've underestimated you brats," Zabuza laughed. 

Zabuza-clone darted forwards, elbowing Sasuke sharply and knocking him backwards. Once Sasuke was on the ground, coughing up blood, Zabuza-clone hit him on the chest with a knife hand, causing Sasuke to cough up more blood. 

"Hehehe... moron," Naruto grinned. "The fog has gone... 'niisan can use his jutsu, now." 

Indeed, all the mist Zabuza had created to cover his clone making had gone, dissipated. Kakashi's eyes swung about crazily as he tried to sense where Tazuna was. 

There! 

Up in a tree, with me beside him. I was making hand seals for all I was worth, frantically changing seal as I manipulated chakra. My hands were going to bitch at me later, but meh. I hold a bit of pain to be a pittance beside the permanent state of being, you know, dead. 

"What are you doing," Zabuza-clone asked, running forwards with his huge cleaver ready to swing. 

I opened my eyes as I completed the last seal. "Mindrape no Jutsu!" 

The watery prison holding Kakashi fell into the lake, releasing our silvery haired Jounin into the lake as Zabuza clutched his head. 

"No... this isn't real," he said, eyes jammed closed. "But... but..." 

Kakashi held him in a headlock as I sweated, holding the jutsu. The missing nin had a very strong and determined mind, and had a clarity of thought that was somewhat disturbing in it's insight. This meant that it was hard to mislead him too long, as his mind questioned what it was fed. 

"Knock him out," I shrieked, trying to concentrate at the same time. "I can't hold him too long!" 

Kakashi hit him with the blunt end of a kunai as he dragged him on shore. 

"What was that," Kakashi asked me. 

"Something I made up," I said weakly. "Is the world supposed to be spinning?" 

"No, teme," Sasuke said, scowling. He hadn't tested his strength against the missing nin! How would he know whether he could kill Itachi if he didn't know how strong he was? 

"Oh," I said. "Naruto, think I'm gonna-" 

And with that I fainted, falling off the tree branch where Tazuna and I were perched. 

"Chakra exhaustion," I heard Kakashi saying as the world went black.

* * *

"What was that jutsu," Haku asked Zabuza. 

"... I don't know," Zabuza admitted. "The world had gone crazy... I collapsed under the weight of the Cleaver, my muscles reduced to nothing." 

"Nothing was wrong with you physically," Haku pointed out. 

"Genjutsu, then." 

"And he had had to wait until the mist had cleared. Physically, he looks like nothing." 

"That genin won't be a problem when I recover, then."

* * *

I woke up to an unfamiliar ceiling. And no, it wasn't steel grey and inside a Geodome. I was lying on something soft, with a blanket over me. 

"Are you alright," I heard a voice ask. 

"I dunno," I croaked. "Come back in a week." 

"He'll be fine," Kakashi put in. "A good meal and he should be fine - he isn't exhausted, just unused to that jutsu by the look of it." 

"What was that jutsu," Sasuke asked. 

I levered myself up against the wall to look at the others. Tazuna was lying on the wooden floor, Kakashi-sensei was on a mat as well, Sasuke and Naruto were sitting, and an unfamiliar woman was standing in the middle. 

"Sorry, who are you," I asked, politely. "I'm Hanabishi Matora." 

"Nice to meet you," the woman said, bowing slightly. "My name is Tsunami. I am Tazuna's daughter." 

"Nice to meet you," I returned. 

"That jutsu is my brother's greatest creation," Naruto said proudly. 

"No, Naruto, I won't teach it to you," I yawned. 

"What _is_ it, though," Sasuke persisted. 

"Genjutsu," I replied. "Well, a mix of it and what the Morino clan uses." 

Kakashi's visible eyebrow rose, impressed. "You know Morino Ibiki?" 

"Kinda," I said. "I know Morino Shinji better. I had to develop that jutsu all by myself, with hints from the old guy." 

"Well, we defeated that strong a ninja this time," Tazuna said happily. "We should be safe for a while!" 

"What happened after I was knocked out," I asked. 

"A Hunter Nin from the Hidden Mist took the body after killing him," Sasuke said. 

"Aaa, I see." 

"Oi, oi, what are hunter nin," Naruto asked. 

"They destroy the body of ninja who die and also of missing nin to ensure that secrets belonging to a village or clan aren't discovered by other nin," Kakashi explained. "For example, if I died, the secret of the Sharingan could be revealed. If you don't be careful there's a chance that the enemy could steal your jutsu. No sound, no smell... that is a ninja's ending." 

"Just the sort of thing we wanna hear," I bitched. 

Kakashi's body language expressed deep thought, and worry. 

"What's wrong, sensei," Naruto asked. 

"Huh? Well, body erasing teams usually dispose of the corpse there and then," Kakashi said. 

"So we don't know that Zabuza's body actually _was_ destroyed," I said, leaning against the wall. 

"Yeah... if he needed proof of his death, he could have taken the head," Kakashi pointed out. "And the weapon he used to kill Zabuza..." 

"No way," Sasuke said, eyes wide open as he sweated slightly. 

"Yeah, exactly," Kakashi said. 

I wondered what they meant, before realising. Acupuncture. 

"What are you guys talking about," Tazuna asked, puzzled. He dealt with bricks, cement, and steel, not ninja. 

"Most likely, Zabuza is still alive," Kakashi said. 

Naruto and Tazuna freaked. 

"Figures," I said, resigned. "It just figures." 

"What the hell do you mean," Naruto yelled. "Kakashi-sensei, you checked and said he was dead!" 

"Yeah, I did," Kakashi agreed. "But that was most likely a momentary death." 

Our jounin-sensei then went on to explain that senbon were used by doctors for acupuncture, and the detailed knowledge needed by a hunter-nin ensured that the kid that had claimed Zabuza's body had probably resurrected him. 

Just what we needed.

* * *

The next morning found us three students being escorted to the forest by our sensei, who was hobbling along on a pair of crutches. Once we were deep in the forest, Kakashi stopped and turned to face us. 

"Okay, now we start the training," Kakashi said. 

"Hell Yeah," Naruto roared, excited. 

"Okay, before that, I want to talk to you about the shinobi ability, chakra," Kakashi said. 

"Ummm... ummm... what's chakra," Naruto asked. 

After a brief scolding, it was explained to Naruto how chakra was produced by ninja, made of body energy and spiritual energy and mixed in the body to form chakra, which was expelled to produce a jutsu. 

Naruto counter-attacked with the idea that they didn't need to know how it worked, only how to do it. (Naruto got along famously with Recca, who was of the same mind as him when it came to things like that.) 

"Naruto is right," Sasuke said. "We can already use chakra." 

"Nope," Kakashi said gleefully. "You guys are not using chakra correctly." 

He then went on to explain that neophyte ninja often were imprecise, and wasteful of their chakra production, resulting in exhaustion settling in faster, meaning that they got killed by ninja who lasted longer. 

"So... what should we do," Naruto asked sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head. 

"Learn how to control it," Kakashi said. "Through very tough training." 

"Well, it isn't as if you'd tell us the easy way even if there was one," I observed. 

"Correct! And as for _how_... Tree Climbing!" 

The jounin then walked up the tree next to him, almost exactly like Jareth the Goblin King in his labyrinth. 

"You understand now," Kakashi asked. "Gather the chakra in the soles of your feet and climb up a tree. This is something you can do once you control chakra well." 

"Okay," Naruto said, giving a 'V for victory!' handsign. "Watch me do this, bro!" 

I sat on my haunches as Naruto tried to walk horizontally up the tree like Kakashi-sensei. He got about a meter along and then fell to the ground, getting a sore head. Three kunai then landed in the ground, one beside each of us. 

"Use those kunai to mark how far you get up the tree," Kakashi said. "Then use that mark as your goal and try to surpass it." 

"This training is nothing to me," Naruto bragged. "I could do this before breakfast!" 

"So do it, already, and impress me," I said. 

"You're talking a great deal, but I don't see you climbing a tree," Kakashi said from where he was standing upside down beneath a particularly large branch. 

"Alright," I said. 

I gathered chakra to my feet, hoping really, really hard that the chakra would get through the soles of my boots, and walked to the nearest tree. As my foot landed on the bark of the tree, I added more chakra until it became sticky. Experimentally, I added more until the bark cracked around my foot. A somewhat forgiving margin, then, but one that Naruto would be unlikely to be able to walk. 

Having established the limits, I slowly walked up the tree using the control necessary for the Mindrape to ensure that I would not fall from my path, whether due to over or under chakra-ing my feet. 

"Suck on that," I said triumphantly, past the lower leaves and invisible to my two team mates. 

"Aaaa, sugoi, Matora-niisan! Good one, bro," Naruto called up to me. 

"It looks like the best at controlling chakra right now is Matora," Kakashi said. 

"To be fair, though," I added, "Naruto and Sasuke have a great deal more chakra than me, so it evens out." 

"Ma, ma, it looks like Matora is closest to being Hokage... unlike a certain someone I know," Kakashi said slyly. "I guess the Uchiha clan isn't worth much either." 

"I wouldn't be Hokage if you paid me," I shot at our sensei cheekily as I made my way back down. "Too much paper work. But... Sensei, while those two work on their control, can I talk to ya for a moment?" 

Kakashi, back on the ground as well, nodded as we walked away from the two rivals. 

"I need to work on my physical stuff," I said. "Strength, speed, stuff like that." 

"I'm no expert on taijutsu," Kakashi admitted. "You need to talk to Maito Gai about stuff like that. I'd advise you to run, do push ups, curl ups, stuff like that." 

"Okay," I grinned. "Time to work on that chick impressing physique, eh, _pervert-sensei?_" 

"Does your mother know you talk like that," Kakashi asked, eyebrow raised. 

"She'll think that you've corrupted me," I said smugly. 

_OW!_ Another backhand. 

Worth it, though. 

Hehehe. 


	9. Part 9

Summary: Recca, Kagero, and a SI are placed in the world of the Nine Tails 

Crossover: Flame of Recca, Naruto, Hitman: Codename 47 and Contracts 

Disclaimer: I don't own what other people do. I do own me, though. 

Feedback: Sure thing... I like hearing how I can improve :) I also like hearing people's opinions on things. 

Pre-fic Comments: 

If anyone can come up with a cool sounding summary that is still fairly accurate, I'll write you in as a minor character if you give me a semi-normal name you want and I use your summary... (and no, not cannon fodder.) Simply put, I suck at summaries and names. 

Hopefully, I'll bust past the 20,000 word mark. I'm pleased with myself so far - 108KB worth of text, from parts one to eight. None of my text editing programs have a word count facility, so I'm just going to have to hope, here. 

Alex DarkFire: Thanks... part of the inspiration was drawn from Itachi, but a lot of it was from 'How the hoek can I bypass doujutsu!' (The shadow movement wasn't drawn from that, though - Kage Houshi using the Eikai Ball in the empty warehouse is tres cool.) 

ranma hibiki: Morino Shinji is Ibiki's old man. I think I said this before. Thanks for the compliment! As for the convo bet... just talk about a western show or book series :P

* * *

Well, my goal might be worthy, but getting there sucked. (Well, I considered being able to lay down the unholy smackdown a worthwhile ability.) 

I was running around the edge of the forest, while wearing a pack laden down with rocks and some lead fishing sinkers Tazuna kept for when he needed to catch his tea. Kakashi-sensei had suggested I wear the thing while running, in order to build up my endurance. 

So, there I was, sweating like crazy and breathing hard while I ran relentlessly. One of the first things you learn when doing PT (Physical Training) is being stubborn, and not giving up until you either need to throw up or your muscles give out. Plus once you're running, it hurts when you stop and your muscles start to complain before you do your stretches. 

Naruto appeared at the edge of the forest, waving like mad. I slowed down to a slow jog, and my blonde brother started to jog alongside me. 

"What... you... after," I asked, recovering my breath somewhat. 

"Oi, can I have some tips for treeclimbing," Naruto asked. 

Shoulda figured. 

"Keep... calm... for spiritual energy," I panted. "Physical only half the equation, think meditation as well." 

"Thanks, bro," Naruto cheered, as he veered off to go back to where he and Sasuke were training. "See you at tea time!" 

I nodded wordlessly, keeping running as I sped back up, lifting my feet more than normal to clear a unusually large log.

* * *

That evening I was really, really glad that I got the evening off. 

"You'll need to slow down tomorrow, to give your muscles time to recover," Kakashi advised me. 

Which was true, of course. You'll get more results training if you have breaks between sessions, rather than overtraining. 

"I have an unfair advantage when it comes to that," I grinned widely. 

"Oh, yeah," Kakashi said. "That... oh well, 'Tora, your choice." 

I decided to let the nickname pass. 

"How's your training going, Naruto," I asked. 

"Great, especially after your advice," Naruto grinned widely, holding out his bowl for more rice. 

"Sasuke ask you what I said?" 

"No, I don't need advice from the bastard and Mister Dead Last," Sasuke scowled. 

He was immediately reprimanded by Tsunami. "Please, don't use that kind of language in the house." 

"He knows what he's talking about, a lot of the time," Kakashi informed Sasuke. "Matora, that is. Naruto _earned_ that nickname."

* * *

That evening, I spent about an hour in my hybrid weretiger form. The regeneration I had in that form washed away all the lactic acid buildup. The reason I didn't train in that form was because the upper limits were high enough that it would be a nuisance to have to carry around all that weight when I wasn't training, and the training in one form carried over to other forms. 

"Oi, Matora," Kakashi called out. "You go with Tazuna-san to the bridge, while Naruto and Sasuke train on their treeclimbing." 

"Sure thing, boss," I flipped back, leaving the backpack of rocks and lead as I followed Tazuna. The shuriken and kunai pouches were picked up instead, as I also picked up the black straps I used to tie down my shuriken holster.

* * *

At the bridge, I helped while I kept an eye out for the missing hunter nin, or his older friend Zabuza. The builders had started from the Wave Country side of the water, carrying material across the portions they had built to the section they were building at the moment. If they had been building a suspension bridge, it would not have been that simple. 

"Thanks, Hanabishi-san," Tazuna's foreman said, looking up to where I had put down a load of iron for his men to weld into the frame. "Get some cement on the next trip." 

I nodded, turning around and going back to the land where they had a shed with the supplies, so that the cement powder didn't get wet and the iron didn't rust. I ran faster than I had the other way, since I was unladen. Once I got to the shed, I picked up a forty kilogram bag of cement and turned around to run to where the cement mixer was churning out wet cement to set around the iron framework. 

"You're fast," the foreman said as I passed him. "And strong, for a kid." 

"That's what I'm aiming for."

* * *

Matters continued like that for the next three mornings, until one evening Naruto failed to come in. 

"Oi, Sasuke, where's my brother," I asked as the Uchiha boy came in, noticeably alone. 

"Still out training," Sasuke shrugged. 

"Dammit," I muttered. "Ain't you supposed to be his team mate?" 

"Leave it," Kakashi said. "If he wants to keep training, let him." 

I didn't miss the implied slur on Sasuke. 

"Whatever," I said. "Hehehe, I heard this really good joke today, and-" 

"Is it a clean one," Tsunami asked, knowing what her father's workers were like. 

"Uh... would you believe me if I said yes?" 

"Not really, sorry," Tsunami said with a gentle smile. 

"Why do you keep working so hard," Inari screamed, frustrated. He was Tsunami's son, Tazuna's grandson. Inari was somewhat dark in disposition, and Tsunami had taken Kakashi and I aside to explain about his stepfather, Kaiza. 

My eyes narrowed in his direction. "You like life like this, scraping by day to day on whatever leavings Gatou leaves your people like the dogs under his table?" 

"You can't win against him!" 

My inner tiger couldn't stand a little kid like that making an alpha challenge like that... weird, I know, but even the solitary tiger has it's social-predator instincts. I leapt to my feet, grabbing Inari by his shirtfront and lifting him so that we were eye to eye. 

"You're pissing me off, kid," I growled. "You want to be someone's slave, feel free, but don't act like you can chain me down to be somebody else's dog! You've got a choice - die on your knees, or live on your feet." 

"M-Matora-san, please put down Inari," Tsunami asked, shocked. 

I complied, but didn't let him go for a moment. "You don't like life, fine, but if you don't try and change it then that's your problem, not anyone elses." 

As my hand left his shirt, he stared at me. "Tora me no Matora..." 

I turned, knowing that my rage had shown in my now amber, and slit-pupil eyes. "I'll come back later." 

Time to go look for Naruto.

* * *

The next day found both Naruto and I sleeping in the forest. I was in full-tiger form curled up with my tail covering my nose, and Naruto was leaning against me. An ear twitched, as I heard someone approaching and woke up, somewhat. I lazily opened an eye halfway. 

Oh. Some chick out ga-hang on. 

The scent told a different story. 

Well, well. A _very_ feminine looking guy. Probably deliberate, judging from his hair and skin tone. 

He gently grabbed Naruto's shoulder, shaking him awake. As Naruto's eyes opened, he whispered, "You'll get eaten, sleeping on a tiger." 

Naruto's eyes opened completely as he woke up and stood. I remained where I was - there was this lovely, lovely ray of sunlight landing right on me... 

"Nah, he's nice," Naruto said. I growled somewhat, to dispute that. "Who are you?" 

"My name is Haku," the guy said. "I'm out here to gather medicinal plants." 

I got up and stretched, cat-style as I arched my back. Meh, well, Naruto'd probably be just fine with the local crossdressing medic. 

I decided to prowl around and have fun, today. When I was in tiger form, I tended to act like one.

* * *

My paws slowed, as I heard the sound of another big cat moving through the jungle. 

Masked somewhat by the dappled sunlight, another tiger appeared from the undergrowth. 

_"You're only part tiger, are you not,"_ the other tiger asked. 

I sat on my hind legs as I looked at the other tiger. _"You're correct. I'm also human."_

_"I've heard of you. Our Tiger-Boss wants to talk to you."_

_"I didn't know. Where is he?"_

_"Somewhere in what the humans call Fire Country, near some humans with steel teeth."_

_"Thanks. I will look for him when I'm in that area."_

_"You're welcome."_

With that, the other cat moved away, disappearing as his coat blended in with the messy forest. I thought for a while. 

Well. This probably complicated matters.

* * *

That evening, Tsunami and I went out to the market. 

Going to the market wasn't quite what the big thing was; spotting the person I did was. 

I gasped as a bald, lithe, middle aged man with pale grey eyes passed us. He was in a dirty, worn kimono and, oddly, had black gloves on. That cinched it. 

"What is it," Tsunami asked me. We had been discussing some things. 

"I thought I saw someone," I said. _Mister Forty Three... what are you doing here?_

* * *

I woke up the next morning, which was the eigth one since we had downed Zabuza and arrived at Tazuna's house. Naruto was exhausted from his training yesterday, so we left him to sleep in. 

He'd completed the treeclimbing exercise, we all figured he deserved some kind of reward. (Well, Sasuke just hmph'd.) 

A gruesome sight welcomed us at the bridge - four dead bodies, and one body that was extremely close to death. 

"WHA-WHAT'S THIS," Tazuna screamed. He'd expected Gatou to go for him, rather than his men - unless Kaiza's execution was an aberration in his behaviour. He ran forwards, and cradled the head of the still alive man in his lap. "What happened?" 

"A monster," the man gasped, as the mist thickened and he breathed his last. 

Instinctively, we all formed an outwards circle. 

"Here they come," Kakashi said. 

"Kakashi-sensei, this is their Hidden Mist ability, right," I asked. 

I wanted to rip their throats out, but I remembered the mission - to protect Tazuna-san, not to act like a hunter-nin with a grudge. 

"Long time no see, Kakashi," a familiar voice said. "I see you're still with those brats... he's shaking, poor kid..." 

With that, a dozen of Zabuza's mizu bunshin appeared around us, all holding onto their own copy of the massive Cleaver. 

"I'm shaking from excitement," Sasuke retorted. 

"Do it, Sasuke," Kakashi said, visible eye grinning. 

So. That was how it would go - Kakashi and Sasuke attacking while I defended. I could live with that. 

The blackhaired Uchiha zipped around the circle of mizu bunshin with his kunai, destroying each with a slash that destabilised the jutsu. 

"Hmmm... he saw through the clones," Zabuza continued. "That brat has grown. It looks like a rival has appeared... eh, Haku?" 

A Hidden Mist hunter-nin appeared beside the missing-nin. Must be the accomplice I was told about. 

"It does indeed," 'Haku' said. 

"It seems my thinking was right on the mark," Kakashi remarked. 

A brief spat of insults and discussion flew between the two groups, before Haku dashed forwards and Sasuke engaged him. Well, that left Zabuza for Kakashi, and me to defend Tazuna from any opportunity attacks. 

Haku displayed an uncanny ability to form ice as he wished, and given the amount of water on, around, and below the bridge that he could freeze to form ice, this was bad. However, Sasuke managed to pull enough speed out of his ass that he could keep ahead of the bishoujo boy. 

Not that this was all good, as Haku then created a half-dome of floating ice mirrors around Sasuke, and stepped into one. 

Did I ever mention how much I hate cheap Bloodline Limit abilities? I couldn't spot where Haku's body physically was, and so even though I could clearly see to where he _seemed_ to be, I couldn't find his brain to use _that_ jutsu on. 

A blizzard of senbon shot towards Sasuke, nailing him in a few places. 

"Shit," I said, scowling. I couldn't leave Tazuna, but leaving Sasuke to struggle on his own went against what I wanted to do. 

Then salvation arrived. True, it was short, blonde, and had a mouth bigger than Mick Jagger, but Naruto was still a damn good ninja. 


	10. Part 10

Summary: Recca, Kagero, and a SI are placed in the world of the Nine Tails 

Crossover: Flame of Recca, Naruto, Hitman: Codename 47 and Contracts 

Disclaimer: I don't own what other people do. I do own me, though. 

Feedback: Sure thing... I like hearing how I can improve :) I also like hearing people's opinions on things. I have a fragile ego and low self esteem - please review? 

Pre-fic Comments: 

Made a goof in the last part... it's Mr 47, not Mr 43. (What's worse is that none of you guys called me on this.) He plays a major part in changing the plot of this arc. Spot it if you can. 

And I still need someone to come up with a cool sounding summary/ 

ranma hibiki: Mr 47 is from Hitman, and is what the game name suggests :) A very good game, if you can get your hands on it. 

Alex DarkFire: Thanks :) And yes, I like tigers too... I've come up with a way of incorporating Shino. ICQ me pls? Lost yer number.

* * *

Gatou smiled deeply as he looked out his window at the Wave Country capital city. 

Soon, he'd crush that bridge builder Tazuna, and then nothing would stop him from stripping the Wave dry of all things worth anything. 

The sound of the door sliding open made itself known. Ah, lunch. 

"Put it on the table," he ordered absently. 

As the servant closed the door and put down the tray, he thought about going with his men to the bridge, just to twist the knife in the wound. 

A hand snaked around his neck, clamping down on his mouth as a sharp, strangely shaped blade gave him a second, ear to ear smile. 

The man with the pale grey eyes wiped the knife clean on Gatou's black clothing, then put the shorter man in his bed and drew up the blankets. Putting the Pentagon knife away in his servant's clothes, he walked out the door. 

"Gatou-sama wishes to rest," he said, walking to where he had stashed a set of guard's clothing. 

One of the guards walked into the room for a routine check on Gatou.

* * *

"It's about time," I said from where I was guarding Tazuna-san. 

"Hey, a hero arrives at the last minute," Naruto said, grinning madly. 

"So act heroic and save our damn skins!" 

Through the mist called up by Zabuza's jutsu, the sound of armed men could be heard. 

"He's DEAD!" 

"We're gonna pillage this town!" 

"No more Gatou!" 

"Hold," Zabuza commanded. 

Kakashi paused, so did Naruto and I, and Sasuke kept attacking Haku. So the crossdresser nailed him with senbon in the neck, putting him in a temporary death state. I guess that if Sasuke had been using his Sharingan (dirty rotten thief), he could have stolen speed from Haku to keep up. 

A huge mass of dirty men appeared in the mist. 

"What happened," Zabuza asked, Cleaver resting on his shoulder. 

"Gatou-sama was found dead in his chambers, and no one knows who did it," the front man said. "So we're gonna kill everyone in town in retribution!" 

"No you aren't," Naruto yelled. 

"It seems we no longer have a reason to fight, Sharingan Kakashi," Zabuza said, a slight smirk playing on his lips. "But I still want to see some blood." 

"We can't let them kill innocent people," I said. "Hey, stupid people, still feel like trying us?" 

"You're only seven people, Scar-face, and we have more than fifty men," the spokesman boasted. 

I shifted, letting my inner beast show as I became half-man, half-tiger, sharp claws extended. 

"Prrrrease, feel frree to trrry yourrrr luck," I purred, an evil smile playing on my lips and inclining my whiskers upward. 

"We can still take him," another mercenary said uncertainly. 

"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu," Naruto yelled, as about fifty Naruto clones appeared on the bridge. The villagers were running to the end of the bridge as well, all armed and with Inari leading the charge. 

That did it for them. 

"RUUUUN!" 

And so the Wave Country was freed from the menace of the shipping magnate slash crime overlord. 

"I bet that Misterrrr Forrrty Seven did it," I said. In this shape, I was about six feet tall. Cool. 

"Who," Kakashi asked, confused. 

"Never mind," I said, shifting back to my human form. "Well, we've got funerals to arrange and a bridge to build." 

"What about Zabuza-san," Naruto asked. 

We looked around, but the wily missing nin had disappeared while we had dealt with the chaotic mercenary army. 

"We'll pass on the sighting to the Hidden Mist," Kakashi said.

* * *

The rest of the mission passed peacefully, as no one seemed to care about Gatou. His corporation was quietly absorbed by the Mist-daimyo, since the short man had never written a formal will. 

"Thanks to you, we've completed the bridge," Tazuna said, as we were farewelled by the town, "but this is super sad." 

"Thank you for everything," Kakashi smiled. 

"Don't worry - we'll come to visit," Naruto grinned. 

"You... better," Inari trailed off, eyes suspiciously liquid. 

"I fully expect this to be a worthy vacation spot in a few years," I added. "You're lucky, to live in such a beautiful place." 

"Inari... you're sad, right? It's okay to cry," Naruto said. "Even if this baka never does." 

I hit Naruto for that. Playfully. 

"I'm not going to cry," Inari insisted. "But Naruto you can cry too!" 

"Fine... later," Naruto said, spinning around so that Inari didn't see the trail of tears starting to flow down his cheeks. 

"Ah," Inari said, as his tears began to flow too. 

"That boy changed Inari's heart... and Inari changed the people's heart," Tazuna said. "That boy gave us a bridge to hope, called courage." 

"Bridge... oh yeah, we need to name this bridge," the foreman said. 

"I have a super perfect name for this bridge," Tazuna said. 

"What is it," Tsunami asked. 

"How about... The Great Naruto Bridge?"

* * *

Once we got back to Konoha, it was interesting to see how the other genin teams from our year had... progressed. 

Sarutobi Asuma's team, made of Ino, Sakura, and Shikamaru, consisted of an ongoing catfight. The canny males had redirected that fighting spirit towards improving their ninja abilities to impress Sasuke, although I suspected that in Shikamaru's case it was more so his ears weren't deafened on missions. I wasn't really worried about that team - they seemed to get their jobs done. 

Yuuhi Kurenai's team, made of Domon, Hinata, and Kiba, was... interesting. Domon had something of a friendly rivalry going with Kiba. Both were fiercely protective of their quieter team mate, and I'd heard rumours about confrontations between the two of them and Maito Gai's genin team. Their team was geared towards mass destruction and massacre, with Hinata present to bring the stealth aspect of ninjutsu to the fore when needed. 

Gekkyou Hayate's team, made of Recca, Chouji, and Fuuko was an ongoing argument. Not as bad as Asuma's team, but Recca and Fuuko always had been rivals, even in kindergarten. I honestly didn't know what Chouji was capable of, and suspected he was there to make up the numbers more than anything. Recca was... Naruto-ish, I guess, as Ino had put it once. Fuuko reminded me of a cross between Mitarashi Anko and Recca. Their team seemed fitted for straight up assault, taking into account Recca and Fuuko's abilities, although I didn't know how Chouji would affect that. 

As for our Team Seven, things were... existing. Not really improving, not really breaking down, just existing. After we'd gotten back from the Wave, we'd had slight hopes of Kakashi continuing to teach as he had taught the treeclimbing exercise, but all we'd gotten from him was D-Rank missions. So Naruto and I met Kagero-kaasan to talk about it.

* * *

Kagero knelt in her kimono on the clean tatami. At a respectful distance, Naruto and I knelt side by side. 

"Haha-ue, please teach us in the ways of the Hokage ninja," I said, bowing slightly from where I was kneeling. 

"Why do you wish this," Kagero asked, hands folded. 

"Our jounin-sensei, Hatake Kakashi, teaches us nothing and lets our skills stagnate. I also want to learn about my heritage, and the school of my father." 

"And you, Naruto," Kagero asked. "While you are adopted, I consider you my son just as much as Matora is." 

A slight glimmer of tears appeared at the corners of Naruto's eyes. "I, too, wanna become better at being a ninja!" 

"I see," Kagero said. "Matora, you have received the zanbatou you ordered, have you not?" 

"Yes, I have. Thank you for arranging that." 

"I will teach you what I know of using it. Naruto, I will start instructing you in the Silent Crescent Moon School, the way of using katana and kodachi." 

I strongly suspected that, were it not for the formality, Naruto would be grinning like a loon and hugging 'kaasan for all he was worth right about now. 

"Together, I will also instruct both of you in stealth, and how to conceal yourself in all situations." 

"Thank you, Haha-ue," Naruto and I chorused, both bowing slightly again. 

"How well can you use the zanbatou," Kagero asked. 

"I can handle it better than I've read is possible, due to being were," I said. "It also came in a... very unusual sheath." 

"Oh?" 

"Yes. A scroll contained it, and it is stored in the scroll after use."

* * *

"Hello, Metsugaara-san," the thin man said. 

Mister Forty Seven nodded. He was dressed in a fine black kimono, a white shirt underneath, with a vividly red sash. 

"The Agency has received a... contract... for the demise of a certain person," the thin man continued. "But it must not happen until the Chuunin exam! The client wants this man's contract to be well known." 

"I see," Forty Seven said. "Anything I should know?" 

"The client wants this certain person to be obviously... contracted," the thin man said. "At this certain time and place." 

"I will do this," Forty Seven said. 

He didn't ask for details on the client. 

It wasn't his job to ask those details.

* * *

The Daimyo looked up. "Have you arranged it?" 

"Yes," his servant said. "The... Agency gave me assurances of their discretion." 

"Good," the ruler smiled. "We cannot afford this leech on our resources any longer."

* * *

Naruto and I were enjoying our day off, with Domon, Recca, and Fuuko joining us. 

Well, we were enjoying it until we turned the corner to find a pair of Sand-nin. One was blonde, with four (!) short ponytails and what looked like a giant fan strapped to her back. The other was a short guy in baggy black clothes with facepaint and a mummy strapped to his back. 

"What are you two doing here," I asked mildly. "I didn't think that the circus came until next month." 

"Other nin aren't allowed in Konoha," Fuuko added, licking the tip of one of her senbon. 

"Let's play a little before the boss comes," the guy said. 

"You may be allies, but it is forbidden for you to be here without permission," I said. "The polite thing would be to explain." 

The blonde relented. "You're right, we're genin from the Hidden Sand. We're here for the Chuunin exam." 

"Wow, you must have a halfway decent sensei," I said. "Our one barely remembers where to turn up for missions, let alone when to turn up." 

"Er, what's the chuunin exam," Naruto asked, Recca nodding beside him. 

"Baka," Fuuko roared, thumping Naruto (with the hand without her senbon.) "It's an exam to select chuunin from genin." 

"Hehehe, then this Domon-sama should enter, eh," Domon chuckled, making a pose. (He got on _great_ with Maito Gai. He practiced his taijutsu with Rock Lee every now and again, too.)

* * *

Post-fic Comments: 

Number 47 uses the pseudonym Metzger when he needs to give a name. You should be able to piece together the target, time, and place from the conversations through a process of elimination. 


	11. Part 11

Summary: Recca, Kagero, and a SI are placed in the world of the Nine Tails 

Crossover: Flame of Recca, Naruto, Hitman: Codename 47 and Contracts 

Disclaimer: I don't own what other people do. I do own me, though. 

Feedback: Sure thing... I like hearing how I can improve :) I also like hearing people's opinions on things. I have a fragile ego and low self esteem - please review? 

Pre-fic Comments: 

Some bad language in this. 

A joke borrowed from Raven Dragonclaw hidden in the fic somewhere. Shhh, I don't think she knows that I borrowed it. 

ranma hibiki: Haven't seen VHD for a while... I was thinking of Tenten more when I came up with it. Given how they use scrolls for all sorts of things, it can't be an idea unique to her. 

Alex DarkFire: Thanks... and you'll have to wait to see if your instincts are correct. 

mrasdfghj: Bear in mind that it has been more than a decade for Matora. After living through another childhood, dealing with all that crap, and hanging around some of those people to mess up those memories of the manga, your memory of that stuff is going to be decidedly fuzzy. Thanks for the review!

* * *

"Well, catch you later," I said, starting to wander off. "I've got a pervert-sensei to harass." 

"What," Naruto asked. 

I rolled my eyes. "Kakashi has said nothing about the exam. Us, that is to say, me and you, are going to hassle him till he gives." 

"Oh! Cool," Naruto said, following me as I left.

* * *

"I heard he hangs out in that bar reading magazines," I whispered into Naruto's ear. 

"Where'd you hear that?" 

"ANBU break room when I was talking to Ibiki-san. Kakashi-sensei is famous for his bad habits." 

"Woooow... you were in the ANBU break room?" 

"Shhh, we'll to talk to him now." 

We found Kakashi-sensei sitting next to the other rookie genin sensei, reading a magazine that was even more ecchi than the books he normally read in front of us. The bar was dark, and dingy, and also somewhat grubby. 

"I bet you don't have a girlfriend, eh, sensei," I said loudly. 

Kakashi looked up, right eye half-lidded as per usual. "Ma, ma. What are you here for, Matora?" 

"I just heard an interesting thing," I said. "There are genin here from the Hidden Sand for the Chuunin selection exam. Given how it takes more than a week to get there and back, you'd better have a _damn_ good reason for not telling us about it." 

"I was going to, but I couldn't find the applications, and-" 

"LIAR," Naruto roared. 

Kakashi sighed. "Meet me on the bridge tomorrow at eight hundred hours." 

I looked at Kurenai-san. "Does that mean eleven o clock, in Kakashi-speak?" 

"Sounds about right," the red eyed woman shrugged. "Domon, Hinata and Kiba have known for a week." 

"I'll tell Sasuke tonight," Kakashi said. "Ma, did I tell him? Eh, he'll find out." 

I scowled at Kakashi. "If you don't stop being so _fucking_ slack, I'm going to talk to the Kirisawa accountants who handle payroll." 

"Oi, oi! Who's sensei and who's deshi, here," Kakashi asked. 

"I wonder sometimes," I smarted off, getting his hand around the back of my head.

* * *

At five that day, Kakashi turned up in the queue for getting paid that week. (One of the very few things he was never late for.) 

Once he got up to the front of the queue, he looked at Kirisawa Raiko as she shuffled through her book. 

"Is there a problem, Kirisawa-san," Kakashi asked. 

"Well, we were going to do your pay, but there was this old lady," Raiko began. 

"That isn't really true, is it," Kakashi said disapprovingly. 

"What goes around comes around," Raiko said defiantly. She frowned. "If you have so little respect for Naruto-kun and Matora-kun that you don't turn up until you're three hours late, then I think you can wait here as well, since you're so used to it. Go read your sex magazines." 

All the other jounin laughed at Kakashi, as he was infamous for his bad habits. 

"My eternal rival! Truly, you have become too cool in that modern way that drives me mad," Maito Gai cried out. "Even the lowest of our great society deserve respect, and students even more so!" 

What could be seen of Kakashi's face was red, but no one could tell if it was through anger or embarassment.

* * *

"Holy shit," I gasped as Naruto and I got close to the bridge. "Pervert-sensei is _on time!_ High five!" 

Naruto and I slapped our palms together in a gesture of triumph. 

"We owe Kirisawa-san bigtime," I said. 

"Ohaiyo, per-vert-sen-sei," I said. 

"Hi, Sasuke, Naruto, Matora," the jounin said. "I've nominated you guys for the Chuunin Exam. Here are your applications." 

We all took a card from his hand. 

"Though this is just a nomination. Whether to take the exam or not is up to each of you," Kakashi continued. "Those who wish to take it should sign those papers and turn them in at room 301 by four pm tomorrow." 

"Yes, yes," I said. 

"That is all."

* * *

Kagero-kaasan had insisted that we wear clean clothes to the exam, even though I had no doubt that they would get dirty in short order. I had been up all night studying my notes on the Mindrape, and also all the subtechniques I had developed for it, as the Mindrape was a combination of five techniques for each sense. I was in a pair of black jeans, with a 'Puritanical Euphoria Misanthropia' Dimmu Borgir tshirt. (Most of the civilian villagers frowned at me for wearing it, as it depicted a naked female torso bound with barbed wire on top of a pentagram, blood flowing from a dozen puncture wounds. A border drawn around the figure prevented the head, arms, and legs from being shown. Well, more than a few inches, anyway.) A pair of heavy steelcapped boots, a satchel and pouch, shuriken holster, and I was set. Naruto was wearing the same old orange jumpsuit he always wore. But washed! 

Recca and his team were just in front of us, and Domon's team had already gone in the building. 

"Got all your stuff, Naruto," I asked. 

"Hai! Shuriken, kunai, uh, some explosive notes, uh... you?" 

I nodded. "Got all that. Also got that special weapon!" 

"Where," Naruto demanded. "You don't! It's way too big to hide!" 

I took a long metal tube out of the satchel I was wearing. "It's in a scroll, in here. Special scroll." 

"Hey, Sasuke," I called out, spotting our resident goth. I hadn't voiced that to him, though, since he hated me enough for calling him gay. 

"Naruto, Matora," he said calmly. 

We entered the building, heading for the first set of stairs we laid our eyes on. Being a ninja designed building, none of the staircases went straight to the third floor for security reasons, so we had to look for a second set. 

I sighed as we spotted a gaggle of people hanging around a door with '301' on the sign above it. A pair in front of the door were stopping people from getting in. 

"Hey, stupid people," I yelled out. 

Nearly everyone glared at me for that. 

"Glad to see that you know who you are," I said. "This is the second floor. Seeecooond Flloooor. This is room 201. You've been had." 

"So, you noticed our genjutsu," the male guard said. 

I shrugged. "Could have been paper on top of the original one for all I know. All the Academy buildings have the same design set - first floor is one whatever, second two whatever, and so on. Simple logic states that these people are idiots." 

"Not bad," the guard allowed. He began to swing a low kick at me, at high speed. "But all you did was see through it!" 

I was prepared to take it - even in human form my regeneration was many times greater than a normal person's capabilities. And it was far too troublesome to try and counter it. Better to appear to be hurt, so as to be underestimated. 

So it was kinda nice that some guy grabbed the guard's leg for me, stopping it in mid air. 

"Lee," Domon cheered. Hinata had already spotted the genjutsu, Kiba just wanted to see how many were taken in by it. 

"Domon," Lee responded. "Shine with the light of your youth during this Exam!" 

"Hey," Neji said. "What happened to the plan? You're the one who said we shouldn't attract attention to ourselves." 

"Well," Lee began, stopping. He stared in the direction of Recca's team. 

"Oh, no," his female team mate said, shaking her head. 

Lee strode past us to Fuuko. Objectively, I could see why he'd like her over Sakura in this particular world. She was far more active, stronger, and he had seen her at a distance while training with Domon. She didn't have that baby-cuteness that Sakura had, more of a smirking cat about to pounce. 

"My name is Rock Lee," Lee smiled. "So, yours is Fuuko. Let's go out together! I'll protect you 'til I die!" 

Fuuko smirked. "Thanks, but I think that Domon-kun and Recca-chan would argue with you over that." 

I looked in their direction. Holy hell, Domon had a faint blush! Although I doubt that anyone who didn't know him would spot it. 

Flames grew in Rock Lee's eyes. "Then I shall prove myself through the power of my springtime of youth!" 

"Hey, you," Neji said to Sasuke. "What's your name?" 

Naruto looked infuriated at being ignored. 

"When you want to learn someone's name, you should give yours first," Sasuke said lazily. 

"His name is Sasuke," I interrupted. Sasuke glared at me. "Uchiha Sasuke. I'm Hanabishi Matora, and this is Uzumaki Naruto." 

"Thank you," Neji said to me. 

"Come on, Lee, what are you doing," Tenten called out. I had remembered her name by now. 

"You guys go on ahead," Lee said, looking at where my group had began to walk to a set of stairs. "There's something I'd like to test." 

I sighed as Lee looked at our group. 

"Hey, Uchiha-san," Lee called out. 

"What is it," Sasuke sighed. 

"Will you fight me right here," Lee asked. 

"A fight right now," Sasuke asked. 

"It's only fair to warn you that he'll steal your moves if you do," I called out. "Kakashi's been giving him private training in his Sharingan." 

"I want to test my techniques against the genius of the Uchiha clan," Lee insisted. 

"Some would say that his brother was the genius," I replied. "What was it, ANBU at sixteen?" 

"Fourteen," Sasuke ground out. His eyes were flaming with hatred. "Bring. It. On." 

"Before you do fight him," I said, "could I spar with you? I've beaten Domon regularly, and he says that you are quite good." 

"You know Domon," Lee said. "It would be an honour." 

Lee assumed his side-facing posture, smiling with that peculiar scowl-smirk. 

I charged forwards, and charged my voicebox and throat with chakra. **"DON'T MOVE!"**

The voice of command stunned Lee into staying still, as I swept my arms from the middle in front of me out to the side, forcing Lee's hands out to where he could not defend my right leg coming up in a powerful kick that sent him back, short of breath for a moment. I mentally thanked Kami-sama that I had learnt what I could of the Thousand Fist Mountain. 

"That was impressive," Lee allowed. He grinned. "But I haven't done anything yet, have I?" 

"I know I'm going to lose unless I pull out one of those things," I said, as we studied each other. "But that wouldn't be fair, for sparring." 

"Konoha Spinning Wind," Lee shouted. 

With blinding speed that I couldn't counter, Lee kicked me far harder than I had him, and I went sprawling on the boards. If it weren't for my regeneration, I would have been bleeding from that. 

A look to the side showed that Sasuke had activated his Sharingan. 

"Lee, I strongly advise you to not use your special moves now," I said. "Or they will be stolen." 

He nodded at that, seeing the same thing I did. "You are strong, Matora-san. I look forwards to facing you and Uchiha-san in the Exam!" 

"Lee! The power of your springtime wisdom is not to be denied, for the shinobi cannot reveal his secret techniques," a voice called out. 

I sighed, deeply. 

Maito Gai appeared in a puff of smoke, one hand out with a 'thumbs up' gesture and a blinding smile adorning his face. 

"Sensei," Lee cried out. 

Gai looked up, straight at Team Seven. "Hey, you guys, how is Kakashi doing?" 

"You know Kakashi," Sasuke asked. 

"Know him? Hehe...," Gai laughed. He vanished, reappearing behind the three of us as if he had not traversed the space in between. "People refer to us as 'Eternal Rivals'... fifty wins, forty nine losses. I'm stronger than Kakashi." 

Sasuke looked surprised and shaken by this. 

"You guys should head over to the classroom," Gai advised us, disappearing in another puff of smoke. 

Did they teach that technique to all jounin? 


	12. Part 12

Summary: Recca, Kagero, and a SI are placed in the world of the Nine Tails 

Crossover: Flame of Recca, Naruto, Hitman: Codename 47 and Contracts 

Disclaimer: I don't own what other people do. I do own me, though. 

Feedback: Sure thing... I like hearing how I can improve :) I also like hearing people's opinions on things. I have a fragile ego and low self esteem - please review? 

Pre-fic Comments: 

In the manga, Kin looks _way_ hot. Haven't seen more than the first ep of the anime. Her affiliations are a true shame... 

Again, if anyone knows of any general purpose Naruto fanfic mailing lists, I'd appreciate a link :) 

mrasdfghj: Thanks for the compliment... I like SI fics, too, especially wellwritten ones (which I hope this one is.) 

Alex DarkFire: That might not happen... I was planning on rolling up some random match ups for the prelims. (My own brand of random, where they get re-rolled until something interesting crops up.)

* * *

"See, it helps me to forget   
That we're all born... to die."   
-Bon Jovi, 'Dry County'

* * *

Shigeo looked up at the smith. 

"Another order?" 

"Yep. Metsugaara needs more bullets."

* * *

I yawned as Kakashi appeared in front of the door to Room 301. 

"Another obstacle," I asked. 

"Nope," the jounin said. "I'm here to tell you that the Exam can only be taken by teams of three." 

"So," I responded. "I already knew that." 

"Bro," Naruto said, highly disappointed. "Why didn't you tell me? Kakashi-sensei, why didn't you tell me!" 

"What for," I shrugged. "Neither you or Sasuke would have backed down from the chance, and the Exam should be a nice change from our normal... duties, if you can call them that." 

"Oh, okay," Naruto said. 

"I wanted each of you to enter of your own free will," Kakashi smiled. "Now go!" 

I saluted him flippantly as we went through the double doors.

* * *

"I didn't know there were so many genin wanting promotion," I said mildly. 

The room was packed with genin from all of the ninja countries, and also many from the smaller villages like the Hidden Rain. 

"Sasuke-kun," a pair of voices squealed. Loudly. "You're late!" 

As both Yamazaki Ino and Haruno Sakura approached the moody genin to hug him (and wuv him and thqueeze him to itty bitty pieces!), they frowned at each other. 

"Get away from Sasuke," Sakura shouted. "Ino-buta!" 

"Shut up, forehead-girl!" 

"You guys are taking this stupid test too," a lazy voice said. Ah, Shikamaru, trying to distract the two fangirls. "Don't die." 

"Same to you," I said. "Funerals and the aftermath are too troublesome." 

Shikamaru smiled slightly at that joke, then frowned. "Man... this sucks." 

"It could be worse," I offered. "You could be pulling up potatoes." 

And with that, the other two rookie genin teams from Konoha appeared, introducing themselves. Domon's team, and Recca's team, as I thought of them. 

"Oi, you should be more quiet," a somewhat mousy man called out to us as he approached. He was dressed mostly in black, with a fair amount of white, and had glasses on. "You guys are rookies just out of the Academy, right?" 

"And you are...," I trailed off. 

"I'm Kabuto," the man said. "But instead of that, look behind you." 

I sighed as we did. There was a group of guys who looked like Happosai would after having just been told that he had to live life with no pretty girls. 

"Those guys are from the Hidden Rain, and have short tempers," Kabuto said. 

"I'd be shitty with everyone too, with weather that crappy," I interjected. 

"Everyone is nervous about the Exam, quiet down before you make a scene," Kabuto continued. "Well, I can't blame you. You're clueless rookies - you remind me of how I used to be." 

"Before you grew old and got grey hair and wrinkles," I said. 

"Stupid scarface," Sakura said, hitting me on the head. She never did truly forgive me for being in the same team as her Sasuke. "Kabuto-san... so this is your... second time, right?" 

"Nope, my seventh time," he said gleefully. "This Exam is held twice a year, so this is my fourth year." 

"Wow, so you know a lot about the Exam," Domon said. 

"That's right." 

"Sugoi... impressive," Naruto grinned. 

"Idiot, you should have learnt how to work the Exam to pass by at least your fourth attempt," I sniffed. 

"Maaatoraaaa," Naruto whined. 

"Hehe... I'll share some info with you cute rookies," Kabuto said, fanning out some cards. "With these nin-info cards..." 

Kabuto briefly explained that information was burnt onto the cards about the Exam and the candidates, and that his chakra was needed to reveal the information. He showed a card with a graph of the various countries' participants as an example. 

"Do you have cards with information on individuals," Sasuke asked. 

"Hehe, there are some guys you're worried about? My information isn't perfect, but I do have it. Even on you guys. Give me some names." 

I didn't like that. Secrecy was one of the core nin concepts. 

"Gaara of the Hidden Sand, Rock Lee of the Leaf, and Hanabishi Matora of the Leaf," Sasuke reeled off, eyes studying Kabuto as my face went slack, concealing emotion. 

"Oh, you know their names, should be easy then," Kabuto said. His hand whipped three cards from his deck. 

"Okay, first is Rock Lee," Kabuto said. "He's a year older than you guys. 20 D-Ranks, 12 C-Ranks. His sensei is Gai. His taijutsu has improved greatly, but nothing else is impressive. He got attention last year as a talented genin, but did not enter the Exam. On his team are Hyuuga Neji and Ten Ten." 

"Your attention to detail is impressive," I allowed. 

"Thank you, Hanabishi-san," Kabuto smiled. He pulled out another card, revealing the contents. "Next is Gaara of the Desert. Eight C-Ranks and... wow, a B-Rank mission as a genin. Since he's a newcomer from another country I don't have much info, but it seems he returned from all of his missions without a scratch." 

Sasuke began to sweat, slightly, and Naruto was highly impressed. 

"Either he's truly talented, or his sensei is very protective," I observed. 

"And next is you, Hanabishi-san. Hmm. Hanabishi Matora. Twenty D-Rank missions and one C-Rank. Sensei is Kakashi. His skills are unknown to a large extent, but his ninjutsu and genjutsu are suspected to be high due to an abnormal amount of time spent in the Konoha nin-library. On his team is Uchiha Sasuke and Uzumaki Naruto. Highly distinctive scar on his face." 

"Ma, ma, you could have learnt that just by looking up my public records," I yawned. 

Kabuto observed that most of the genin present were the elite genin from other countries. 

Naruto began to shake, and Hyuuga Hinata's hand began to rise to comfort him, when his head rose rebelliously, and he pointed at the rest of the room. 

_"My name is Uzumaki Naruto! I won't lose to you bastards!_," he roared. "Ow!" 

The last was due to me belting him over the head. 

"Ignore him," I called out. "His mouth works faster than his brain does. A lot faster." 

Naruto promptly belted me over the head in return. "Bro! Don't be mean!" 

"Truth hurts," I shot back. 

"Quiet down you worthless bastards," a familiar voice roared as at the other end of the room, a large cloud of smoke appeared. 

I groaned as Morino Ibiki appeared in the dissipating smoke. _This is not good._ Behind him were many chuunin, all with either neutral or grumpy expressions on their faces. 

"Thanks for waiting," he said. "I am Morino Ibiki, the Examiner for the Chuunin Exam's first test." 

I groaned audibly this time. 

"What is it," Fuuko asked me. 

"He's head of the ANBU Torture and Interrogation unit," I whispered back. "He's going to try and break us, you can rely on that. Everyone, keep your cool." 

"Quiet," Ibiki roared. His face was forbidding. "There will be no fighting without the permission of the Examiner. Even if permission is given, killing your opponent will not be allowed. Those pigs that disobey me will be failed immediately. Do I make myself clear?" 

"Heh, this test sounds easy," a boy smirked. His head protector had a musical note on it. 

Some of the chuunin chuckled darkly at that pronouncement. 

"We will now start the first test of the Chuunin Exam. Instead of your current seating arrangements, you will pick one of these tabs and sit at the seats assigned to you." 

"Splitting us up, creating uncertainty," I muttered to my friends. "Remember, keep cool and _think_ during this." 

"We will then pass out the exams." 

"WHAAAAT! A PAPER TEST," Naruto cried incredulously. 

With that, we all took the seats assigned to us. I was at the end of a row, next to a Stone nin. Ibiki then told us the rules. They boiled down to 'one point per question' and 'Team test total scores will be taken'. He placed an unusual emphasis on the typical 'no cheating' rule, though, which immediately created a red flag in my mind. The last rule was that if any team member failed the test, his team mates would fail with him. 

I sighed. As well as this stupid test, I'd have to pass the answers to Naruto with one of the subtechniques of the Mindrape, the purely visual one. 

"Begin," Ibiki commanded. 

I sighed again as I looked over the questions. There was no way that Genin verging on Chuunin could answer crap like this! (Not without some heavy duty study.) Time to break the rules, but not get caught doing it. My justification was that we were ninja, not samurai, and were expected to do sneaky stuff. 

My hands beneath the bench, I started flashing through some handseals. Due to practice, I had become able to do this jutsu without collapsing. (Had to love stupid people like everyone else my age. Well, almost everyone.) 

"Mindrape no Jutsu," I whispered, focusing it on a person who was frantically scribbling down answers. I didn't do it on one of the examiners since it was common practice, in my other life, for the examiners to have no idea as to the content of the exam. Hmmm... a bar, I decided, going by the age of the person. 

- 

The Chuunin plant to provide answers for the genin to cheat off blinked blearily. Oh yes, he'd done it, and was in a bar. 

"Wake up, man," his friend advised him. _I let the man fill in the details._

"Heh, stupid genin," the chuunin said. "Hehe, even if they skipped every question from one to nine, they could still pass." 

_That must mean that there is something_ special _ about ten._

"I know," his friend laughed. "Ibiki sure is sadistic, but that Question Ten is pure genius." 

"Yeah, with agreeing to take it is an automatic pass," the chuunin laughed. Hey, he thought it was safe - it was after the exam, and he was having a few drinks, right? 

- 

"Wake up," one of the chuunin examiners commanded their plant. 

My own eyes opened from that mental mindscape. Controlling the muscle signals coming from the target's brain added a bit of complexity to the Mindrape, but not very much. Time to tell the others. 

I flashed through the hand signs for a subtechnique of the Mindrape. Sauron's Mouthpiece, as I had decided to call it. 

"Mouthpiece no Jutsu," I whispered, focusing on multiple people rather than one for this technique.

* * *

Naruto was about to go into meltdown (or start cheating, one of the two) when a voice spoke to him. 

"Hey," it said. "No, don't look around. No one else can hear me speak." 

Naruto nodded slightly. 

"Now, you can safely skip questions one to nine according to the private thoughts of the examiners, and deciding to take Question Ten is in itself an automatic pass." 

A large, shit eating grin spread across Naruto's face. 

This exam was _his!_

* * *

The same message was repeated verbatim to Domon, Hinata, Kiba, Recca, Chouji, and Fuuko. (Shikamaru's team could figure it out themselves - Yamazaki already had _her_ technique she could use.) It was also sent to Sasuke - while I hated the guy, he was a team mate. 

"Sir," I said out loud. 

"What," Ibiki said in a forbidding manner. 

I simply gave him a thumbs up and a wide, teeth-sparkling grin. "Nothing. Just like this exam." 

_Well_, Morino Ibiki thought. _He did figure it out... with pop's help._

_This is going to be an interesting exam._


	13. Part 13

Summary: Recca, Kagero, and a SI are placed in the world of the Nine Tails 

Crossover: Flame of Recca, Naruto, Hitman: Contracts 

Disclaimer: I don't own what other people do. I do own me, though. 

Feedback: Sure thing... I like hearing how I can improve :) I also like hearing people's opinions on things. I have a fragile ego and low self esteem -- please review? 

Pre-fic Comments: 

Okay, I lost my copy of Codename 47 so my sole source for Hitman at the moment is Contracts. 

mrasdfghj: It wouldn't exactly be fair to concentrate on one student... for all he knows about the non-Leaf students, they could be just as good. As for my skills... I really don't think of myself as being that good at writing. I'm certainly not as good as, say, Tenhawk or Carrotglace. 

ranma hibiki: He might, he might not. Remember, this is Naruto the Bigmouth. As for how many teams pass... that is entirely up to my whimsy :) 

Alex DarkFire: Thanks! And as for the MR... well, it's a complex jutsu, and complex things are composed of simpler sub-things. Trying to construct something like that from scratch is pure stupidity -- you're much better off pulling together jutsu for all five senses. The Eikai Ball is overkill for the plot, really, so I'll have to come up with a way of crippling it. It's almost a Perfect Defence.

* * *

I sighed, bored. 

Looking at the clock, I found that we still had half an hour to go. 

No point in playing with some of my subtechniques -- that would use up chakra I'd need for later. 

Picking up my pencil, I drew a large triangle on the blank side of the exam paper that took up nearly all the empty space. Then I drew an upside down triangle inside it, separating it into four areas. Then I drew three more upside down triangles in the three right side up ones that had been creating, continuing like that as I drew my Sierpinsky Triangle. 

It would make the rest of the examiners wonder what I was thinking. 

I had gotten well into the stage where I was limited by the fineness of the pencil when Morino Ibiki began talking again. 

"Okay," he said. "We will now start the Tenth Question." 

I smirked... well, cattily, and got the impression that if he could have, Ibiki would have rolled his eyes at me. But when he had his mask on, nothing shook it. 

"Now, before we get to it, I'd like to go over the additional rules for this question," Morino continued, explaining that answering the Tenth Question was, in effect, double or nothing. If someone failed the question, they failed the Exam. Permanently, he claimed. 

Again, I sighed. This was _boring_, dammit... 

Naruto caught my eye, gesturing at me. I caught the unvoiced question -- _Are you sure we just have to decide to take it?_

I gave him a thumbs up to indicate everything was fine. Looking around, I found that some of the other genin teams had bowed out, cowed by Morino's interrogation. 

Recca, never a very subtle person, thumped his fist on the table. "Hurry the hell up! This is boring, jiji! I ain't sayin' no!" 

Naruto and Domon yelled out in agreement. 

It was kinda nice to see their confidence in me. Then again, after seeing me study for so long, they tended to believe I could do more than I really could. 

"I'll ask you again," Morino said, a forbidding expression on his face. "Your life is riding on this decision. This is your last chance to quit." 

"So," Naruto asked. "I don't care! Move it!" 

All the other teams seemed to have been buoyed by this, including the Aburame boy's team, who was in Rock Lee's year. 

Dammit. 

I hate bugs. Why couldn't he have broken? Although his team mates Hokuro and Raiha were cool. 

"Good decisions," Morino purred. "Now, to everyone remaining..." 

Ibiki grinned underneath his bandanna. "I congratulate you on passing the first test!" 

"Wait... what do you mean? We already pass," Haruno Sakura, who was in Uchiha's team, yelled. "What about the Tenth Question?" 

"It was a question of resolve, not knowledge," I interrupted, still bored. 

Ibiki nodded. "Indeed." 

"Hey! Then what were the first nine questions for," the Sand kunoichi demanded. "They were pointless!" 

"They were not pointless," Ibiki argued. "They had already served their intended purpose -- to test your individual data gathering ability." 

He looked at me. "Although some people shortcircuited that." 

I shrugged. "That's the power of specialisation." 

"Information gathering," Temari, the Sand-nin in question asked. She ignored the comment directed at me. 

"First, as the rules explained, success on this test is based on the whole team doing well. This puts pressure on each member not to mess things up for their team mates," Ibiki began. 

I yawned quietly. He was about to start on the 'Importance of Information' lecture. In my experience, talking to him (and his father) while creating the Mind Rape, he really liked his lectures. I guess it came from his work. 

"... is now finished. I wish you guys luck," Ibiki said proudly. 

I stretched, listening to various joints pop. 

"Don't do that," Recca yelled from a few benches away. 

"Yahoo," Naruto yelled, leaping into the air and pumping his fist. 

"Now for the _interesting_ test," I said. 

Right as I said that, a loud crash announced a spinning black swathed object flying through the window, landing in front of Ibiki. The black cloth expanded, kunai nailing the top corners to the ceiling. A large message could be seen on the banner, announcing the presence of the examiner. 

"You guys! This is no time to be celebrating," she yelled. "I am the Examiner for the Second Test! Mitarashi Anko! Let's go! Follow me!" 

I sighed. 

"Bad timing," Ibiki offered from behind the banner, as the examinees stared at her incredulously. 

"Aw, man, why'd we have to get that sadist," I asked no one in particular. 

Soon after that, Mitarashi had us all standing in front of the chainlink fence surrounding Training Area 44, the Forest of Death. 

"You'll soon find out," Mitarashi said, "why it's called the Forest of Death." 

"You'll soon find out," Naruto mimicked, sounding highly annoyed, "why it's called the Forest of Death." 

"Man, do all you Examiners like the sound of your own voice," Recca asked. 

Fuuko hit him on the head. "Pay more attention to the Examiner!" 

"Hai... you're spirited," Mitarashi said, vanishing in a flicker and reappearing behind Naruto. A kunai had cut shallowly into his cheek. "Kids like you are killed quickly... hehe..." 

I rolled my eyes. 

She began to lap at the blood trickling down his face. "Spraying that red blood I love..." 

Stretching, I looked around. "Man... there are too many people to use _that_... guess I'll have to use _it_ instead." 

"It," Sasuke asked. 

I pulled out the scroll-sheath for the zanbatou, flicking the scroll so that it unreeled upwards. As the last of the seal was revealed, a length of grey metal began to appear, sliding out of the scroll like the scroll was a portal of some sort, rather than paper and ink. Six feet of blade slid out, widening to about thirty centimeters wide at the base. Then two feet of handle emerged afterwards, a very plain length of leather bound steel, unadorned by metalwork or even a pommel. As the zanbatou began to fall back to Earth, I grabbed the handle. 

A small trench was cut into the ground as the massive blade came to a halt. 

"This should be fun," Anko said, a grass-nin pocketing the kunai she had thrown at Naruto. 

"Bro! You're using that already," Recca asked. 

I shrugged, picking up the zanbatou and propping it up across my shoulders like a staff. My weretiger heritage gave me the strength to carry it in human form, although transforming would be needed to fully utilize it. "Doesn't do me any good just practicing with it." 

Domon could be heard cursing himself for not thinking of getting one. 

"Now, before we start the second test, there's something I have to pass out," Anko said. "You must sign these disclaimers. There will be deaths in this one, and if I don't have you sign these... it will be my responsibility. Hehe. I'm going to explain the Second Test then you can sign it afterwards. Each team will then check in at the booth behind me." 

"That doesn't sound promising," Fuuko said. "What if Fuuko-chan gets hurt?" 

"Domon-sama will protect you," Domon said, taking a muscle man pose. Rock Lee gave him a huge grin and a thumbs up. 

"Simply put," Anko said, "you will attempt the ultimate survival." 

"Oh, maaaan," I groaned. "I _hate_ the wild." 

"First, I'll explain the area around which it takes place," Anko said, briefly describing the Forest of Death. As well as mentioning the natural hazards of the course, she also mentioned a tower in the middle which was our destination during the test. "During the survival in here, you will be asked to complete a certain task. Using your many weapons and jutsu, you will participate in a no rules scroll battle." 

Naruto sniggered. "Hehehe, that sounds like Nii-san fighting with Nara-san over some dusty piece of crap in the Library." 

Recca nodded, laughing as well. 

"You will fight over these two scrolls, the 'Heaven', and the 'Earth'," Anko said, holding out a white scroll with the kanji for 'Heaven' on it, and a black scroll with the kanji for 'Earth' on it. "Half, thirteen, will get the Heaven scroll, and the other thirteen teams will get the Earth scroll. To pass this test, your team must must make it to the tower with both scrolls." 

"Lovely," I muttered sarcastically. 

"So, thirteen teams will lose their scroll," I heard Haruno Sakura say. "Half the teams will definitely fail." 

"Most likely more," I agreed. 

"But there's a time limit," Anko added. "This test will last 120 hours. Exactly five days." 

Again, I sighed, as finding a team with the opposite scroll to ours would be long, tedious, and a pain in the ass. 

"What about dinner," Chouji demanded. 

I wasn't as worried about that -- I could hunt down my own dinner. And my scroll would be safe in the same place my clothes went while I was in tiger form. Actually... 

"You're on your own," Anko said, not caring one whit. "The forest is full of food. Just watch out for man eating beasts, poisonous insects, poisonous plants..." 

She trailed off, letting our imaginations do her work for her. "And thirteen teams passing is not likely. As the days go on, the distance to the goal will become longer, and the time to rest will become shorter. And the area is crawling with enemies -- you won't get much sleep." 

"All this crap just for more pay," Shikamaru muttered. "How troublesome." 

"So not only will some fail by losing their scroll, but some will die from the harshness of the course. Now, I'll talk about what will disqualify you. First, those that don't make it to the tower with both scrolls within the time limit. Second, those who lose a teammate or have a team mate killed. As a rule, there is no quitting in the middle. You _will_ be in the Forest for five days. 

"And one more rule -- you must not look inside the scroll until you make it to the tower." 

"What happens if you do," Naruto asked. 

"Bad stuff," I ventured. 

"That will be a surprise for anyone who does," Anko said, looking sadistically thoughtful. A chuunin will be asked to handle sensitive information. This will be a test of your trustworthiness. That's it for the explanations. Exchange the three forms for your scroll, then choose a gate to get ready for the start." 


	14. Part 14

**Summary:** Recca, Kagero, and a SI are placed in the world of the Nine Tails 

**Crossover:** Flame of Recca, Naruto, Hitman: Contracts 

**Disclaimer:** I don't own what other people do. I do own me, though. 

**Feedback:** Sure thing... I like hearing how I can improve :) I also like hearing people's opinions on things. I have a fragile ego and low self esteem -- please review? 

**BandsThisWasWrittenTo:** Norther 

**Pre-fic Comments: **

Before anyone jumps down my throat -- I'm citing the original source for the quote, and not trying to claim it as my own (which is plagiarism, and the kiss of death for any writer's career.) This is perfectly acceptable practice when quoting, but if you want me to get academic-picky, I can do a list of references at the end. 

_Many thanks to all of my reviewers._

_Ranma Hibiki_: Well, having something and not using it is a terrible waste to my (and therefore Matora's) semi-practical mind. 

_Lady Light:_ Flame of Recca... that was one of the very first animes I ever saw, so I have a soft spot for it :) I'd appreciate any links to any other FoR crossovers that are good... 

_animewatcher:_ Erm... the chapters are longer than my other fics. Still, I take your point. 

_Alex Darkfire:_ I've got a twist planned for Snake Face... beyond what I've told you IRL, of course. 

_HPackrat:_ I probably should have, but that would be too troublesome. (You can blame Alex Darkfire for pointing out the merits of Shikamaru's philosophy to me.)

* * *

"Back to the meaning of... _LIFE!_" 

Metallica, "Of Wolf And Man"

* * *

"Okay, guys, we need a plan," I said as our group waited at our assigned gate into the Forest of Death. The only person nearby was a Chuunin examiner. 

"Oooo, oooo, we use a sixteen hit combo on the first team we come across," Naruto yelled. 

"Do you even know a sixteen hit combo," Sasuke asked, one eyebrow raised. 

"No..." 

"Gimme the scroll," I commanded. 

"Why," Sasuke asked. 

"If I hold it while human, and transform to my tiger form, it'll go to the same place as my clothes and zanbatou," I explained. 

"Hey, hey, can't you use your shadows to get us to the Tower quickly," Naruto asked. 

I winced. "Sorry, but the two of you combined weigh too damn much to carry like that -- you've both grown quite a bit and put on muscle." 

"What about if you half-transformed," Naruto asked. 

"I don't want anyone to know about it... it'd be easier for you two to walk there." 

Sasuke passed me our scroll. "Meet us at the Tower -- we'll get an Earth scroll to match our Heaven." 

I tucked it inside my satchel, then transformed into my tiger form. 

Sasuke shivered. "That is so creepy." 

Naruto grinned as the large, black striped orange tiger padded off into the Forest. "Matora-niisan is _cool._" 

"Do you think he could make me a tiger, too," Sasuke asked. "It seems to make him pretty powerful." 

"Nah," Naruto informed him, shaking his head. "Matora-niisan doesn't even share that with 'kaasan." 

By now, the camouflaged tiger was invisible to their eyes.

* * *

Crouching, I hid in the undergrowth as I watched my two team mates. Perhaps they did think I was headed straight for the Tower, but I did need to keep an eye on my little bro. And if they thought I was far away, then they couldn't betray my position. 

I groaned, a low growl emanating from my muzzle as Naruto strolled away to take a leak, not wanting to expose himself in front of 'Gay Sasuke'. (I was so proud -- bro had learnt so much of the art of annoyance from me.) Now that they had divided the team _further_, though, other teams would think them to be easy pickings. Given Sasuke's relative weakness (not possessing the trump card of the Kyuubi or the tiger, and still a neophyte when it came to his Sharingan), I decided to keep an eye on him. If he died, then we couldn't pass the Second Test. 

Finally, after making noise and offending my sensitive nose, an orange clad blonde returned. As if to further tweak my sense of smell, though, the blonde didn't have Naruto's scent. 

Sasuke, not being born yesterday either, noticed that the imposter had his shuriken holster on the left thigh and decked the idiot. 

"What the hell are you doing," the imposter asked. 

I rose, whiskers twitching as I smelt two others of similar scent. 

"Where's the real Naruto," Sasuke asked. 

"What are you on about," the imposter asked, trying to bluff his way out. 

"Your shuriken holster is on the wrong side," Sasuke scowled. He didn't bother explaining any further -- no one else was around to impress with his knowledge. 

"Unlucky! You figured it out," the imposter said, _poof_ing back into a Rain-nin with a gas mask. 

I roared, leaping onto one of the Rain-nin's team mates who, in a display of gross incompetance, had not noticed me. I severed the tendons on the back of both of his knees, effectively crippling him as he fell from his perch on a low-slung tree branch. The third member began to flee, and I ignored him. 

Sasuke seemed to be doing surprisingly well for himself, utilizing Katon jutsu against the nin formerly henge'd as Naruto, so I left to find my little brother. 

No one got to pick on him except me!

* * *

Again, I sighed. 

Why did Naruto attract weird crap! 

Case example number one right now, the huge snake attacking him. It was more than half a meter in diametre, and could have easily made up twenty Narutos with material to spare for, say, another legion or so. 

Well, as with Sasuke, our team couldn't pass if Naruto died. I leapt onto the back of the snake, just under the head, and almost lost one of my nine lives when another tiger, approximately twice as big as me, leapt at the constrictor as well. It was white, and I couldn't figure out how it managed to hide itself in the Forest. 

I swiped with my paws at the spine of the snake, managing to expose the bone but not cut through it and thus failing to sever the nerves inside it. 

_Kitten,_ the other tiger roared at me, before attacking the snake. _This is no place for a cub -- the Tiger Boss is waiting for you up ahead! Get a move on!_

I paused, replying in that peculiar feline way. _You'll watch over my littermate?_

As soon as the other tiger nodded, I bounded ahead.

* * *

_What is it,_ I demanded in the voiceless manner of the tiger as soon as I saw orange and black. _I need to get back to my team!_

The other tiger, battle scarred and aging, glared at me. _I've only got a few things to say, so I'll make it quick._

I rolled my eyes. 

_Cubs normally get told these things, so no noise. First, no handouts. There hasn't been a summoning contract with the Tigers, and there ain't gonna be one. Second, no help. You got problems, you deal with 'em._

_Is there any point to being a clan, then,_ I asked. 

The other tiger scratched his cheek against his shoulder. _Some things, any tiger'll drop everything and attack, help you a bit. One of 'em's Manda's children -- that's why Shirokuro's takin' care of that scaly piece of crap right now, and why I'm gonna go and take care of it in a bit too._

_Okay,_ I said. _Anything else?_

The Tiger Boss shrugged. _Eh, you'll figure 'em out as you go along._

_Okay, oyabun, it's been fun but I can't play no more, I gotta take care of some things,_ I said, leaving in a hurry. 

Another white tiger stepped forwards out of the leaves, approximately the same size as Matora's tiger form. _He looked good enough to eat._

_Eh, you want him, you'll have to deal with that moral crap humans deal with._

_Sire, I still want him... I think I'll follow him for awhile._

_Just as stubborn as her dam,_ the Tiger Boss muttered.

* * *

"About time you got back, dobe," Sasuke said, as Naruto finally reappeared. 

"Man, there was this huuuge snake, but these tigers got into a fight with it, and--" 

"Did any of them have the Earth scroll," Sasuke interrupted. 

"Um, no." 

"Then I'm not interested." 

"But it was huge! It could have fed the whole village for a week!" 

"No scroll, no interest." 

"Teme," Naruto muttered. "Boring, fuddy duddy ol' gay-Sasuke..." 

"What was that," Sasuke demanded. 

"Ano sa, niichan, why're you back," Naruto yelled, changing the subject. He had spotted Matora returning, zanbatou slung across his shoulders, since it was too long to carry any other way. 

"I got bored," Matora shrugged. "And I got a good idea -- give me the scroll, I'll keep it safe." 

Both Naruto and Sasuke threw a kunai each at the Matora-imposter. 

"Ha," Naruto bragged, right hand holding a 'V for Victory!' sign and left giving the imposter the red eye. "Niisan already has the scroll! Biiiii!" 

"This will be more fun than I thought," the imposter said, a cloud of smoke erupting as he dropped his illusion. A woven straw hat was on his head, with a Hidden Grass hitae-ate. He was wearing a white shirt with long tails, black pants, and a purple rope belt. 

"You want my Earth scroll, right," the figure said. "Since you guys have the Heaven Scroll." 

With that, he ate the scroll entire, his tongue emerging out of his mouth to a prodigious length. 

"Man, I bet you're popular with your girlfriend with a tongue like that," I called out, smirking. "But I guess I'll have to carve the scroll outta your guts, now." 

"Matora-niisan," Naruto cheered. "Ano sa, is the scroll safe?" 

"Yep," I agreed. "I hid it, far away from here. Man, you guys can't stay out of trouble, can you?" 

Naruto grinned proudly. "Nope!" 

"Baka! That's nothing to be proud of," I said, pulling the zanbatou off my shoulders. 

"Now, let's begin the battle for each other's scroll," the man said, eyes staring at Sasuke and Naruto. "With our lives on the line." 

I lifted the handle above my head, angling the blade so that the tip was just above the ground and behind me, and the center of momentum was close to my own, so it was easy for me to turn. I ran at the man, my eyes changing to amber with slit pupils, as I leapt and swung the huge blade outwards, so it arced from my back to parallel to the ground as it came to collide with the stranger's head. 

I breathed deeply as the man regarded me from where he had moved unexpectedly. His once-long hair was now shortened, strands of black buried beneath the earth by my zanbatou. 

"I really wasn't expecting an attack like that from cute prey like you," he said, as Naruto and Sasuke continued to sweat. "But you cut my hair." 

"Nothing says I love you like brute force and blows to the head," I retorted. 

"Now my prey has run," the man frowned. "Your... brother remains, though." 

"Prey? You're hunting Sasuke," I asked. "Sorry, but I need him for the exam." 

"Prey like you should always be prepared to run," the man smirked. "In the presence of a predator, that is..." 

"Get over yourself," I said, rolling my eyes. 

As the man leapt at me, I leapt at the nearest patch of shadows and melted into it, changing position to about half a kilometer away from the fight. I put the zanbatou back on the sheath, since it would hinder stealth, then melted back through the shadows to Sasuke and Naruto. 

"Oi," I muttered. "I'll take you one by one away from here, then I'll transform and we'll move further away." 

"Awww," Naruto whinged. "But--" 

Before he could make any more noise, I grabbed him and moved through the shadows with him. 


	15. Part 15

**Summary:** Recca, Kagero, and a SI are placed in the world of the Nine Tails 

**Crossover:** Flame of Recca, Naruto, Hitman: Contracts 

**Disclaimer:** I don't own what other people do. I do own me, though. The Thousand Fist Mountain and Sea belong to Rumiko Takahashi-sama, and the Naruto-verse belongs to Kishimoto Masashi. 

**Feedback:** Sure thing... I like hearing how I can improve :) I also like hearing people's opinions on things. I have a fragile ego and low self esteem -- please review? 

**BandsThisWasWrittenTo:** Radiohead, KMFDM, Rammstein 

**Pre-fic Comments: **

Don't be afraid to have a go at writing your own fics -- the first few might kinda suck, but practice helps. (Everyone has some fics that will only be read by other people over their dead body.) I'll even beta if you email me privately -- alan dot p at -- and help with story ideas. 

Again, does anyone know of any Naruto fanfic mailing lists on yahoogroups, or should I start one? Please indicate in your reviews. If I do create a group for Naruto fics, I'll post the link in my bio. 

Sorry, but I don't feel like writing a troublesome Second Test arc. 

_ranma hibiki:_ There is the physical form divide... how would she go out on a date with him? (Yes, I've got an answer, but I'm afraid that's a secret!) 

_ColdCypher:_ Always nice to get a new reviewer. I always try to do _something_ new and interesting in my fics -- otherwise, why bother? I've still got to write my major looking-forwards-to arc, so I won't stop soon. Although, if I work too many twelve hour shifts I may have to pause. 

_HPackrat:_ Matora took them thru the shadows... check the last scene of part 14.

* * *

As we all looked at each other, Sasuke was the first to speak. 

"Moron, why'd you do that," he demanded. "We haven't beat that grass-nin yet." 

"We're not _here_ to beat the grass-nin," I shot back. "We're here to get an Earth scroll, keep our Heaven, and get to the tower without anyone being hurt." 

Naruto sighed. "Aw, man..." 

"I don't feel like pissing around any more," I growled. 

I shifted into my half-tiger, half-human form. My pants and shirt strained now against my slightly over two meter frame, as I picked up the other two members of my team. 

"Hang on," I said, as I shifted all of us to the shadows.

* * *

Sasuke looked around with interest. This was the first time he'd seen Hanabishi's shadow technique from the inside, and he was quite put out that his Sharingan couldn't perceive it. He was hanging onto Hanabishi, while the weretiger was holding Naruto in his left arm. 

"Sorry, Sasuke," I said absently. "You haven't trained with the Eikai ball, so the Sharingan won't help you here." 

"Oi, niisan," Naruto said. "There!" 

I looked at where Naruto was pointing, seeing a shadowed area holding an Earth scroll. The shadowy insides of another nin's pouch, obviously, as kunai and other tools were scattered around the scroll. I reached out, careful not to puncture it with my claws, and handed it to Sasuke. I didn't want to risk dropping it. 

"Yatta," Naruto yelled. "Now to get to the Tower!" 

"This is too easy," I muttered. "Something has to go wrong." 

Sasuke nodded wordlessly from where he was hanging onto my furry back.

* * *

The mist-nin paused in the process of bandaging his team mate's knees, which had had the tendons slashed. Looks like he'd be paying a visit to the medic-nin before anything else. He'd just finished applying burn cream to his own wounds. Damn leaf-nin. 

"Oi," Ichiro said. "Don't stop." 

"Something's wrong," Daisuke said, opening his pouch. "Shimatta!" 

"What now," the ninja with the slashed tendons asked. 

"Someone pickpocketed me!" 

"Aw, maaaaan. Why always us!"

* * *

"Stop," Sasuke said, as I ran towards the Tower. Crazy panels of the real world showed, as I ran past innumerable patches of portals to the real world from the shadow realm. 

"Can't," I said, not even panting. Being a weretiger was handy, sometimes. 

"I want to test myself against the other examinees," Sasuke expanded. 

"Do that in the Third Test," I said. 

"Third Test," Naruto asked. "What's that?" 

"Tournament." 

"Cool," Naruto cheered. 

"Alright there, princess," I asked Sasuke. "Don't try and feel me up, either." 

"Teme!"

* * *

"Oi, who's got the scrolls," Recca asked. 

"Baka, I do," Fuuko sniffed. 

"What do we do with them," Chouji asked. "I mean, we're at the Tower, but nothing's happening." 

"We're lucky to have them," Fuuko argued. "_Recca-kun_ almost turned them into charcoal!" 

"Hey," Recca protested. "I have perfect control over my inner flame!" 

"What about the time Mrs Haruno chased you with her yard broom for burning her washing line down, then," Fuuko asked, pulling out three of her awls, somewhat like senbon but with handles at one end. 

Chouji sighed. This was gonna take awhile.

* * *

"What did you say," Domon roared. 

"I said, I can't believe you have such a weak little bitch in your--what," the other Konoha-nin from another team in Lee's year said, breaking off as his team mate tapped him on the shoulder. 

"T-that's Domon the Oni," his team mate whispered. 

"Domon the _Oni_," the nin said, turning back to see Domon cracking his knuckles. The 'Must Kill Torama' shirt with the skull and crossbones didn't reassure him any. "Is it too late to apologise?" 

Domon nodded, grinning evilly. 

"Could we just give you the scroll and go away," the other nin asked timidly. 

Kiba cracked his knuckles, and shook his head. 

"Ganbatte ne, Domon-kun, Kiba-kun," Hinata cheered. 

"We'll save one for you, Hinata-chan," Domon called out as he happily pounded the living crap out of his nin. 

"A-a-arigatou," Hinata said, not really sure how to politely reject Domon's 'gift'.

* * *

"I'll get that scroll first, and Sasuke-kun will realise he loves me," Sakura said, hearts in her eyes. 

"No, I'll get it first, and Sasuke-kun and I will live happily ever after," Ino argued. 

Shikamaru rolled his eyes. Women were troublesome. "We have to get the scroll before we can impress _anyone_ with it, you know." 

Ino hit him on the head. "I know that!" 

He sat on a handy treestump and waited for them to hurry up and make up their minds on what to do, so he could go ahead and do what he'd planned on doing anyway.

* * *

"Okay, smartass," Sasuke said. "What now?" 

I moved the three of us back to the real world, and shifted back into my wholly human form from my weretiger form. "Now, we go into the Tower." 

"Suuugoooooi," Naruto yelled, jumping around. 

I sighed. "Baka. I'll shift, and hand you the Heaven." 

Before anyone could complain or talk any more, I shifted straight to my wholly tiger form, and my jaws opened around the Heaven scroll which I had had in my mouth. 

"Well," Naruto said impatiently. "Take it, Sasuke!" 

"How stupid do I look," Sasuke said incredulously, one hand in his pouch and checking that the Earth scroll was still there. "I'm not taking something from a _tiger's_ mouth!" 

The blonde grabbed the scroll as I opened my mouth to let it go, wiping tiger saliva off on his clothes. "Oi, Matora, what now?" 

"Come on," I said as I shifted back to human, "now we go to the Tower."

* * *

We had entered into a lobby-like area, with a large banner saying 'If you lack heaven, seek wisdom, if you lack earth, run in the fields, seek advantage. These rules will guide a...' 

"Okay," Sasuke said, giving me a flat look. "We're in the Tower, now what?" 

"Explore the place," I hazarded. 

"What's up with the banner," Naruto asked. "Words are missing!" 

"Maybe they ran outta paint," I offered. 

"We're wasting time," Sasuke said flatly. He wanted to get to this tournament, to test his strength. 

"You de boss," I shrugged. "We'd better stay together, though." 

"Hey hey hey, where's a door," Naruto yelled. "There're no doors in this place!" 

"There are on the upper galleries," Sasuke pointed out, indicating the floor just above us. 

"Anyone got any rope," I asked. 

Sasuke walked up the wall by the banner, using chakra in his feet to ensure he stuck to the vertical surface. 

"Or we could do that," I laughed, rubbing the back of my head. 

"Baka niisan," Naruto laughed, as we followed Sasuke.

* * *

Pretty soon, we came across a pair of dormitories. 

Well, we came across a dorm with some kunoichi, all half dressed. 

After running, we came across a dorm with some guys, who were all noticeably less hostile. 

"Hey, niisan," I said to Recca, who looked bored silly. 

"'Tora," Recca yelled, bouncing off the bed and over to us. "Who met you?" 

"Met? What's this met," I asked. "I was kinda hoping you knew where we had to report to for the end of this stupid exam." 

Chouji laughed, happy to have one up on me for once. "Open your scrolls, both at once, to meet the guy for the end of the test." 

"Why didn't that stupid examiner say so," I complained. "Niisan, Sasuke?" 

Naruto and Sasuke brought out their scroll, and opened them. Sasuke then threw his on the ground as it began to emanate light, hitting Naruto's hands to make him drop his as well. Eventually, Iruka-sensei appeared through a cloud of smoke. 

"Hey," Iruka said, arms crossed and eyes closed in a 'cool' pose. He opened his eyes and looked at us. "Long time no see." 

"Iruka-sensei," Naruto cheered. 

"What are you guys doing _in_ the Tower," Iruka asked, looking around. 

"We kinda didn't think to open the scrolls," I admitted. 

"Well, congratulations on passing," Iruka said, as he pulled out a watch and looked at it. Mainly for show, I think, as we were still on the first day. "To celebrate your completion of the second test, I'd like to buy you a round of ramen, but--" 

"IRUKA-SENSEI," Naruto cheered again, diving for the chuunin to hug him. "WE DID IT!" 

"If we had opened the scrolls in the test, what would you have done," Sasuke asked. 

"And what if we burnt them by accident," Recca asked. Naruto and I looked at him. "N-not that I did!" 

"Those exam takers that open the scrolls, we were under orders to knock them unconscious," Iruka shrugged. "This test was to test your ability to complete missions. And destroyed scrolls are just burnt up paper." 

"Imagine what'd happen if that scroll that guy ate opened up in his stomach," I whispered to Naruto and Recca, who both laughed. 

"It's kinda a shame you aren't in the lobby, since the motto is there," Iruka said. 

"Motto," I asked. 

"If you're stupid, study, if you're weak, train," Recca shrugged. "Ne, sensei?" 

"Pretty much," Iruka agreed. "Chuunin are at the rank of military captain. You have the responsibility of guiding a team -- the knowledge, stamina and inner wisdom are all needed for your duties. I want you guys to challenge the next test with this motto in mind."

* * *

**Post-fic Comment:**

Sorry this part is short, but I want to stop before getting into the Preliminaries. 


	16. Part 16

**Summary:** Recca, Kagero, and a SI are placed in the world of the Nine Tails 

**Crossover:** Flame of Recca, Naruto, Hitman: Contracts 

**Disclaimer:** I don't own what other people do. I do own me, though. The Thousand Fist Mountain and Sea belong to Rumiko Takahashi-sama, and the Naruto-verse belongs to Kishimoto Masashi. 

**Feedback:** Sure thing... I like hearing how I can improve :) I also like hearing people's opinions on things. I have a fragile ego and low self esteem -- please review? 

**BandsThisWasWrittenTo:** Karma To Burn 

**Pre-fic Comments: **

Okay, there is one hell of a divergence in this part. If you have issues with it, think seriously over the emotions, memories, and capabilities of the participants before reviewing it. Man, writing up the matchups for the tournament was a pain. 

_Inu-Angel Z:_ Thanks for the comment review... I don't mind _at all_ if I'm on your rec list!

* * *

"Lonely love is blind to ashes   
Lonely love is blind   
Lonely love is blind to ashes   
Lonely love of mine." 

Karma To Burn, "Mt. Penetrator"

* * *

After that, we basically had a lot of time to kill until the remaining teams made it to the Tower -- either with, or without their scrolls. Surprisingly, Shikamaru's team made it to the Tower a day after us Hanabishi brothers. Unsurprisingly, they used stealth to win the day. 

Naruto and Recca played a lot of Rock Paper Scissors. (They also wound up in a lot of fistfights, claiming the other cheated when they lost.) Chouji wavered between the small canteen and the dormitory, where my two brothers argued. Sasuke brooded on top of the Tower, staring out over the forest, as if searching for something or someone. 

Fuuko and I decided to look through the old library, deep within the Tower.

* * *

I gasped, as I carefully took down the book I had spotted. 

"What is it," Fuuko asked, looking up from the scroll on wind jutsu she was reading. 

I felt that my face was pale, as I looked down upon the faded green cover, and the fading title. "Nothing, Fuuko. Nothing at all." 

She sniffed, not believing me at all, as I took the book to read it. 

"This is very, very deep shit," I whispered in English. "_'Of Bound Summons'._"

* * *

Shikamaru yawned. 

He'd like to be staring at the clouds, but if he left the Tower, he'd be attacked by other Genin thinking he had a scroll. If he sat on top of the Tower, he'd have to deal with broody bishounen. Dealing with said pretty-boy's fangirls was bad enough. 

So he was looking for a sho-gi set. Hanabishi Matora, while not the best player by anyone's estimate, was nevertheless better than staring at the ceiling. (He'd given up on his team mates, after they tried to ram the pieces down his and Asuma-sensei's throat, once.) Kirisawa Fuuko, while not quite as capable as Hanabishi, was also passingly good. 

"What's this," he said, uncovering a go-ban. The board for playing go was very heavy and solidly made, designed to sit on the floor rather than on a table, and the top of it was stained in blood. "Blood stains?" 

_"Can you hear my voice,",_ a strange voice called out. 

Shikamaru looked up. It didn't sound like anyone he knew. "How troublesome." 

_"You can hear my voice, can't you,"_ the unseen stranger whispered. 

The shadow ninja stood up, hands in his pockets, looking around. "Come out." 

_"You can. You can,"_ the voice whispered, sounding triumphant. _"All powerful God, I thank you."_

Feeling the presence of someone behind him, Shikamaru turned to see a tall man, with long purple hair. Clad in voluminous flowing robes and a tall, brimless hat, the man appeared beautiful rather than handsome. 

_Somehow,_ Shikamaru thought to himself, _I just know this is going to be_ "Troublesome."

* * *

Three or four days later, after more genin arrived with scrolls in hand, Iruka-sensei instructed us to go with him. 

"Hey, 'Tora," Recca called out. "'Tora. Hey, Matora!" 

I couldn't hear him. Recca ripped my headphones off, and repeated the message. 

"Okay, I hear you," I said, rising to my feet as I put the book in a pocket and stretched. "Lets go, then." 

Iruka led us to a large arena. At the front, two large stone hands forming the Ram seal were in front of wooden panels built into the far wall, and two high galleries lined the sides of the stone floor. On the small dais before the seal stood the jounin-sensei and Examiners, with the Hokage standing in front of them. 'Kaa-san was also standing with the jounin, clothed in her traditional kimono with her hair in a bun. 

"Hey, I bet our sensei could beat _yours_," Fuuko whispered to Domon, smirking as she did so. 

"No way," Domon retorted. "Kurenai-sensei could whip Gekkyou's butt in no time!" 

"Sasuke-kun's team passed, too," Yamazaki Ino exclaimed, eyes drinking in the sight of the Uchiha. 

"Don't you mean Matora-kun," Naruto shot back. "'Niisan did all the work in the Second Test." 

"Stop disrespecting Sasuke-kun," Sakura roared, hitting Naruto. 

"Hey," Anko said, from where she stood by Hokage-sama. "Stop unless you wanna be disqualified. Hokage-sama will now explain the Third Test. Listen carefully." 

"I bet you ten that he's going to lecture us," Recca whispered to Domon. 

"You're on," Domon hissed back. 

"For the coming Third Exam," Hokage said, then paused. "But before I explain that, there's something I'd like you to know." 

Domon cursed, handing Recca some money, as Hokage explained that war was the shape of friendship for the ninja, and the Exam was a replacement for war among the allied countries. The battles of the Third Exam took place in front of influential leaders, who took away impressions of strong villages (and thus business worthy ones) from the Exam. 

"I don't care what it is," a redhead from the Sand growled. "Just hurry up and tell me what this 'life risking battle' entails." 

"Yes, I'd now like to explain the Third Exam," Hokage said, "but..." 

"Hey, that's my job," a lazy voice said, as a blonde man with his hitae-ate in a bandanna appeared next to the short leader. He also had a senbon hanging out of his mouth like a half-used tooth pick. 

The man then explained that there were too many genin for the Third Exam, which was a public tournament. To whittle down the numbers, a Preliminary would take place there and then. After prompting that people could retire without endangering their teammates' chances of passing, Kabuto of the info cards from the first test stepped forwards, opting out of the Exam. 

"Right, let's get going," Genma said. "The prelims, like the main event, is one on one matches. Fight like it counts -- because it does." 

He paused to move the senbon to the other corner of his mouth. "Since we now have exactly 24 entrants, we will have twelve matches and the winners will advance to the Third Test. The rules are anything goes -- knock out or death wins. If, though, the match is clear, we will jump in to stop the corpses piling too high." 

One of the wooden boards on the far wall pulled up, revealing an electronic scoreboard. "This is the device that will govern your destiny, ne?"

* * *

**

UCHIHA SASUKE   
VS  
HANABISHI MATORA

**

* * *

"Now, you two come to the front," Genma said. "The two participants are Hanabishi Matora and Uchiha Sasuke. Are you ready?" 

"Gimme a moment," I said, as I pulled out the sheath-scroll and brought out my zanbatou. Resting it on my shoulders, I put the scroll away. "Ready." 

"Yeah," Sasuke said dispassionately, only his eyes giving him away. 

"Now, we will be starting the first match," Genma said. He pointed at the galleries. "Will everyone except for the two participants move to the upper level?" 

Once everyone else had moved up to the galleries, Genma moved back a pace. "Now... please begin." 

The first thing Sasuke did was move back, pulling out a kunai as he brought forth his Sharingan eyes. 

I leapt upwards, pointing my zanbatou towards one of the lines in the ground. My eyes flashed amber as I stabbed it into the concrete, crazy long shadows emanating from the weapon. 

"That was pointless," Sasuke said. 

"Not really," I said, slipping into the shadow cast by my weapon. As soon as my hands were out of sight, hidden in the shadow world, I began to mold the chakra for _that_ technique.

* * *

"Hatake, who do you think will win," Hokage said, lighting his tobacco pipe. 

"Sasuke," Kakashi said immediately. "With his Sharingan, he'll outread Matora." 

"You're missing something," Kagero said. "The Sharingan will do him no good if he can't see him, and Sasuke has a huge vulnerability that my son can take advantage of." 

"He does," Sakura asked, confused.

* * *

Down on the arena floor, Sasuke circled, watching the shadow cast by the massive zanbatou stabbed into the stone floor. He knew that his opponent would emerge from a shadow somewhere, probably cautiously. 

He gasped, as he sunk into his own shadow.

* * *

A slight smile grew, as the Mindrape took hold of Sasuke. I slowly changed things, rather than jerk him into something and tip him off. Two summons I had prepared beforehand were effortlessly merged into the jutsu -- I had created it, and knew every nuance.

* * *

_Sasuke looked around. He was in Hanabishi's shadow world, and the shadows of the real world cast windows through which he could see the Arena. _

_"This is the grey area between the world of the living, and the world of the dead," Hanabishi called out. "Here, as one trained by the Eikai Ball, I control all."_

* * *

Kakashi groaned slightly as Sasuke's features became slightly scared, looking around. 

"The world of the _dead!_," Sasuke called out. 

"He's caught," Kagero said simply. 

"Nii-san has this match _down_," Recca smirked.

* * *

_"Pretty much," Hanabishi said. "They call to me, you know. Dead souls." _

Sasuke's eyes widened. "M-m-my family!_" _

Hanabishi nodded. 

"Bring them to me," Sasuke demanded. 

Hanabishi nodded again, and the forms of his parents materialised in the black world of darkness before him. 

"Otousama! Okaasama," Sasuke cried out, running towards them with tears flowing freely from his eyes. 

The form of his mother caught him in a hug, clinging to him tightly. "Sasuke-chan... I've missed you..." 

"Okaasan," Sasuke whispered, clinging to her. "I-I-I train hard, every day, to avenge you..." 

"We've seen this from the final resting place," Sasuke's father said. "How far will you go, though?" 

"I would do anything for you," Sasuke cried out. "I would eat the fruit of the devil if I had to!" 

"Sasuke," his mother said, hugging him tighter. 

"Include betray our clan," his father said. "The Uchiha have always been the foundation of the Konoha Military Police -- to protect and to serve Konoha! Not to serve the clan! When we broke from the Hyuuga, it was to leave clan powergames to serve the Hokage." 

"Otou-sama...," Sasuke trailed off. 

His father, unused to emotional displays, awkwardly hugged Sasuke without removing him from his mother's arms. "I... love you, my son. Honour our memory, and avenge us by ensuring that our family traditions live on, rather than squandering it through bloodlust, fratricide, and the finality of death." 

"I... I will," Sasuke said. "I will prove the loyalty of the Uchiha clan to Konoha, and ensure it's continuation!" 

* * *

Sasuke's breath was ragged, as he slowly returned to the real world from the shadows. He looked up, to find Hanabishi looking at him. 

"My birth father and village was murdered when I was one," I said quietly. 

"I... I didn't know that," Sasuke whispered. 

"Not many do." I smiled at the ceiling, as two bound summons were unbound. 

_Thank you,_ a ghostly whisper echoed throughout the room. 

"I was glad to," I returned faintly. 

_Don't forget, my son,_ another disembodied voice whispered. _Never forget._

"I won't," Sasuke said, so quietly that Hokage almost didn't hear. His voice strengthened. "Hokage-sama, I entered this exam for the wrong reasons. Examiner, I surrender!" 


	17. Part 17

**Summary:** Recca, Kagero, and a SI are placed in the world of the Nine Tails 

**Crossover:** Flame of Recca, Naruto, Hitman: Contracts 

**Disclaimer:** I don't own what other people do. I do own me, though. The Thousand Fist Mountain and Sea belong to Rumiko Takahashi-sama, and the Naruto-verse belongs to Kishimoto Masashi. 

**Feedback:** Sure thing... I like hearing how I can improve :) I also like hearing people's opinions on things. I have a fragile ego and low self esteem -- please review? 

**BandsThisWasWrittenTo:** Karma To Burn 

**Pre-fic Comments: **

_animewatcher:_ Thanks for the comment. This is the first time I think I've read of Sasuke getting this kinda shock, scared straight so to speak. 

_ColdCypher:_ It wouldn't be very nice, rubbing Kakashi's face in it... as a ninja, he's superb. As a teacher, he sucks. Thanks for the comment. 

_lone wolf blade:_ Thanks! I'll try and at least finish it up to the end of the Exam.

* * *

"I'm doing you a favor   
As I'm taking all your money   
I guess I should feel sorry   
But I don't even trust me   
There's bad news creeping up   
And you feel a sudden chill   
How do you do? My name is Trouble   
I'm coming in for the kill...   
And you know I will." 

_Megadeth, "Train Of Consequences", Youthanasia_

**

DOSU  
VS  
KIRISAWA FUUKO

**

* * *

"You're going to lose, girl," Dosu said, staring at the short kunoichi with his unwrapped eye. 

"Hah," Fuuko said. "You'd have to wait a thousand years to talk to one as beautiful as I!" 

"GOOOOO FUUKO," Domon roared from the gallery. 

"Match Two, begin," Genma said. 

Dosu immediately swung his fist towards Fuuko, who leapt back several meters. 

"Scared," Dosu asked, taunting her. 

Fuuko's eyes narrowed. He'd meant to miss with that, which was why she had been wary of it. "Only of your body odour!"

* * *

"Fuuko's playing with him," Recca pronounced. 

"H-How can you tell," Hinata asked. 

"She hasn't finished him off yet, that's how," Chouji said. "She's fast, and he's as slow as me." 

Recca nodded. "She'll pull out her senbon, soon." 

"She's a medic-nin," Asuma Sarutobi asked. 

"No," I answered. "She just... likes to play." 

"Like a cat," Naruto added helpfully.

* * *

"So slow," Fuuko taunted. "So painfully slow." 

"Say that after you've lost," Dosu roared, leaping towards her and pulling his right sleeve up to show that peculiar bracer he wore. With a swing of his arm, vibrations shook the air. 

She ran behind him, laughing as she drew out a handful of senbon, licking the sharp tips. His mass blocked the area effect of the sound attack. "Boring, boring, boring." 

As Dosu turned to face her, she struck. Flinging the senbon with precision, the long needles struck in a line down the near-centre of his back, temporarily paralysing the Sound-nin. One was at the base of his back, two were in the middle, and one was in the lower neck. Slowly, the sound-nin toppled and fell onto his face, twitching slightly. 

"You can't move until they're taken out," Fuuko informed him helpfully. "And, since this is one on one, there's no one to take them out for you." 

"Winner - Kirisawa Fuuko," Genma pronounced. "Loser - Dosu of the Sound." 

Fuuko cheered, running up to meet us as the medic-nin picked up Dosu, laying him face down on the stretcher to avoid pushing in the senbon. 

"Next match," Genma said, looking up at the electronic display on the wall, "is..."

* * *

**

LOKISON RAIHA  
VS  
ZAKU

**

* * *

I grinned, as one of the bug-boy's team mates walked down to the arena. He was dressed in black shorts and a black t-shirt. Heavy iron manacles were around his arms and shins, runes engraved into them. A long sledgehammer was in a sling on his back, having a workmanlike appearance with nothing to beautify the cast iron head, or the long handle. It could have been used by one of Tazuna's workers, going by the look of it. His movements were... implacable, in a way, possessing more momentum than even Rock Lee. Raiha's speed, on the other hand, was truly pitiful. 

"Third match, begin," Genma announced, moving backwards. 

The Sound-nin ran towards Raiha, an arm sweeping around to bitch-slap him. 

Raiha lifted his right arm in answer, Zaku's wrist stopping dead as it hit the hefty manacle. "Weak." 

"Shut the hell up," Zaku said, backing up a step and pointing both of his palms towards Raiha. "Take this!" 

"ZANKUUHA!" 

Two blasts of compressed air hit Raiha, and once the dust settled we saw that he had been moved back a meter. 

"Well," Raiha said. "Now it's my turn, eh?"

* * *

"He's in for it now," Kakashi said. 

"What do you mean," I asked. "I don't know much about him." 

"His clan originated from outside the allied countries," Asuma explained. "They might be slow, but the Lokison clansmen can dish it out like nobody's business."

* * *

Raiha crossed his forearms over his chest, manacles touching. The jagged runes, distinctly non-Japanese in appearance, flared red. "Releasing the seal by five, until the target has been defeated." 

"What the hell," Zaku asked. "Eat this! Zankuuha!" 

The blast hit the Leaf-nin, who ignored it completely. Roaring like an animal, he swung the heavy hammer towards the shorter ninja. Zaku dodged it barely, and a great cloud of dust billowed up from where the concrete slab they were on was shattered. 

"Are you trying to fucking _kill_ me," Zaku asked.

* * *

"A one trick pony," I snorted. "Pathetic." 

"He didn't bank on someone as immovable as Raiha," Kagero-kaasan said. "If he had any kunai, or other bladed weapons, he could try and wear away Raiha, but blunt force like his air cannon attacks won't work." 

"Why doesn't he focus the attack, then," Recca asked. 

"If he hasn't so far, I doubt he's going to pull something like that out soon."

* * *

Zaku pulled out a kunai, one of the three he had, and ran at the Leaf-nin. He saw the hammer coming around to hit him, and tried to move out of it's path, finding that his momentum was too much to completely avoid the strike. 

Everyone gasped as the long, oaken handle soundly struck the lank Zaku, compressing him against the ground as a great cloud of stone-dust rose from where the head struck the slab. Above the heavy crash of the hammer could be heard several snapping noises. 

"Several ribs have just been broken," Raiha said, resting the hammer against his right shoulder. "If you move too fast, you'll puncture your lungs. Try and fight, and your heart is in serious danger." 

"Winner, Lokison Raiha," Genma announced as the medic-nin came to take away the broken Zaku. The senbon was shifted to the other corner of his mouth. "The next match is..."

* * *

"Brutal," Ino gasped. 

I whistled. "Wouldn't want _him_ pissed off at me." 

"Yes, the light of his youth shines brightly," Rock Lee said.

* * *

**

YOROI  
VS NARU SHIKAMARU

**

* * *

Strangely, Naru seemed to me to appear harried, flustered by some outward force. I voiced this opinion. 

"He's mumbling to himself," Kakashi observed. 

"I wonder what's up with him," Naruto asked.

* * *

Shikamaru scowled at the apparition. "I've played Go with you for four days straight now! You're so troublesome -- go trouble someone else for once!" 

_"Aw, just one more game of Go,"_ Fujiwaruno Sai begged. 

"Later," Shikamaru sighed. 

_"Yatta,"_ the hyperactive ghost said, jumping around.

* * *

Everyone watched, as Naru quickly analysed Yoroi's special ability to absorb chakra. 

I yawned as the lazy shadow-user used his Kagemane jutsu on the other Genin, knocking Yoroi out by making him strike his head against the wall of the arena. 

"That was easy," Ino said. "Go, Shikamaru!"

* * *

I winced, as my head shook. 

_"Time to pay the price,"_ a voice whispered. 

"Why didn't you ask when I did it," I whispered, clutching my head as I sank to my knees. 

_"Uchiha-san has told me some interesting things of your bargain with him,"_ the voice continued. _"I've been... talking with him. The price this time is just energy."_

"This time?" 

_"I am the Gatekeeper -- the Named have no price save their acceptance, but a toll must be paid for the passage of the mortal,"_ the voice said. _"Deny your debt, and it will increase tenfold."_

"Do it," I whispered. 

Blackness claimed me.

* * *

"...ra, Matora -- MATORA," I heard Kaasan screaming as I slowly regained consciousness. 

Taking stock of my surroundings, I found myself at home in bed, okaasan holding me tightly to her. "'Kaasan?" 

She looked at me. "You gave us all a shock, collapsing like that. What happened?" 

I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes. "I added another jutsu to the Mindrape I used on Uchiha-san -- the price was higher than I thought it would be." 

She gave me a penetrating look. While the ninja native to Konoha would simply assume I meant energy or chakra, we were of the ancient Hokage ninja, steeped in magic. 

"Just chakra, nothing more," I assured her. 

"Good," she said, settling back on my bed. "Do you want to know what happened after you passed out?" 

"Please," I asked. 

"Naruto-kun won against the Yamazaki girl -- she was foolish enough to enter his mind, and was almost ripped up by the you-know-what. Recca-kun won against the Sound kunoichi using his flames. Domon-kun lost to the kunoichi of the Sand, Temari, a fan-user. Rock Lee won against Haruno Sakura. Aburame won against Inuzoku Kiba with swarms of insects, and Hokuro, Aburame's team mate, won against Misumi-leaf-nin using twin kodachi. Gaara of the Desert won against Tenten with sand tentacles, and Kankuro of the Sand defeated Chouji using puppets and chakra strings." 

"You missed the Hyuuga, kaasan," I noted. "Nice speech, by the way." 

"Hinata-chan," Kagero-kaasan trailed off. Her eyes hardened. "Hyuuga Neji ripped her apart, both physically and psychologically. Family should _not_ attack family like that." 

"I'll second that," I muttered. "What next?" 

"Hokage-same announced that the Third Test would be in a month's time, and also announced the match-ups," Kagero said, getting up. 

"And," I asked. 

"Oh, you want to know who you're up against? Hyuuga Neji," Kagero-kaasan asked playfully. Her tone hardened. "Instruct him in what happens to those who turn their back on family, my son."

* * *

**Post-fic Comments:**

Yes, I'm being lazy. I don't really feel like writing out all those matches. Too troublesome, to steal a line from Naru-san and Alex Darkfire. As for Kage Houshi's attitude towards Neji... after searching for her children for hundreds of years, well. Think about it. 


	18. Part 18

**Summary:** Recca, Kagero, and a SI are placed in the world of the Nine Tails

**Crossover:** Flame of Recca, Naruto, Hitman: Contracts

**Disclaimer:** I don't own what other people do. I do own me, though.

**Feedback:** Sure thing... I like hearing how I can improve :) I also like hearing people's opinions on things. I have a fragile ego and low self esteem -- please review?

**BandsThisWasWrittenTo:** Karma To Burn, Crystal Method

**Pre-fic Comments: **

For the salesman, think Samurai Deeper Kyo episode one.

_Daniel Lynx:_ Thanks for the comments. I keep mixing up Ino's surname with Ryuji Yamazaki from King of Fighters... as for Kiba, I was trying to remember the last two syllables and mixed it up with the Joketsuzoku from Ranma Half. (Merc's thoughts -- "Isn't it inu equals dog, and zoku equals clan? Maybe it's therefore Inuzoku?") As for Sasuke -- he keeps getting written as the most selfish asshole this side of Saotome Genma, and I decided to go for something different. Don't worry, he's still an antisocial asshole.

_animewatcher:_ There's a hell of a twist coming up that no one knows about, apart from Darkfire. The central characters for the twist are none of the genin, chuunin or jounin... and that's all I'll say about that. You'll find out more below. As for Neji...

_Inu-Angel Z:_ You should find out the answers to all that in this part, hopefully. As for who trained who, I'm leaving that as a surprise. _smile_

* * *

Number 47 knelt carefully on the broad tree branch, opening a finely made wooden case. Inside was a weapon that had been exceedingly rare even back in his original world. Only seventy two had been created, and only one existed in the world of the ninja. He gently took up the Walther WA2000, loading the magazine of .300 Winchester Magnum rounds into the rear of the German bullpup sniper rifle. Of the two hundred bullets that Hanabishi had created, he only intended to use twenty. The rest, in his opinion, were not of a high enough grade for his most prized possession. The twenty that made his grade were nineteen more than he needed, anyway.

He laid himself down prone upon the branch, to both lower his profile and achieve greater stability with the rifle, flipping down the bipod at the muzzle and putting his eye to the scope. Slowly, carefully, he drew his aim.

47 then waited patiently.

* * *

I yawned as I stood with the other genin who had reached the Third Exam. I was a bit unusual in that I was the only one with my weapon slung across my shoulders -- even Sabaku no Temari of the Hidden Sand had her fan on her back. Standing before us, facing the box for the two observing Kage, was the Third Examiner, Shiranui Genma. The Third Hokage got up from his stone chair, walking to the rail facing onto the arena.

"Thanks everyone for coming to the Hidden Leaf Chuunin Selection Exam," Hokage roared, with a voice surprisingly powerful for his age. "We will now start the main tournament matches between the eight participants who made it through the preliminaries. Please stay and watch until the end!"

A sharp crack then rang out across the arena, echoes rolling back and forth against the hard stone walls. Even from the floor of the arena, a dark red flower could be seen spreading across the Kazekage's head. As he collapsed forwards, it was revealed that the back half of his head had been splattered across the back rest of the stone chair.

"Mother," Gaara of the Sand muttered. "Don't worry, you'll still get some tasty blood..."

I shuddered. If I came up against him, resigning would definitely be an option.

"A moment, please," Hokage said, visibly shaken. The gallery of daimyo was also abuzz with noise.

Minutes later, as people shifted, wondering what had happened and what was going to happen, Hokage stepped up to the railing again.

"Anbu and representatives of the Hidden Sand are now searching for the assassin, and barrier wards have been erected around the arena," Hokage shouted. "The Third Exam will proceed!"

* * *

Forty Seven knelt, breaking down the WA2000 and placing the components into the wooden case. Sliding carefully down the tree branch into a nearby empty house, he changed his clothes.

Five minutes later, a travelling medicine salesman walked out onto the street, large wooden case full of (presumably) medicine on his back.

* * *

"I thought they'd postpone the whole thing after that," I muttered.

"And have the daimyo miss their bloodsport," Shikamaru said rhetorically. He made a shoo'ing motion at a patch of thin air. "How troublesome."

"Okay guys, we're in a bit of a rush now," Genma said. "Hokage wants to wrap this up. The rules are the same as the prelims -- death, defeat, or when I determine that it's over. Got that?"

Everyone nodded.

"Now, the first fight. Hanabishi Matora, Hyuuga Neji. Those two stay here while the rest of you go to the waiting gallery."

* * *

"Mother wants me to teach you what happens to dishonourable people who turn their back on family," I said mildly.

Neji merely looked at me.

"I'm at a bit of a disadvantage here," I continued. "I suck at long distance, so I'm going to have to use that jutsu right away."

Slamming the zanbatou down point first into the ground, I was about to enter the shadow when Neji surprised me.

"You are within the field of my hakke," he said, assuming a stance as if he was stretching. "Gentle Fist Style, Sixty Four Hands of Hakke!"

My speed was insufficient to dodge the Hyuuga as he began slamming me, pointed fingers stabbing into my body.

"Hakke two hands! Four hands! Eight hands! Sixteen hands! Thirty two hands! SIXTY FOUR HANDS!"

Gasping, I shakily rose to my hands and knees from where I had been thrown by Neji's attack. Spitting out blood, I snarled at Neji, who had a slight smirk on his face.

"Sixty four of your tenketsu have been closed," Neji said. "This is your fate -- defeat."

I grinned darkly back, as I felt my weretiger regeneration starting to mend some of the raw damage to my internals from the combo. The regeneration could do nothing for my closed points, however, and I could use no jutsu.

"No more mindrape," I agreed. I pulled my zanbatou from the ground where I had slammed it for a shadow to hide in. "I guess I'm just going to have to do this the old fashioned way.

Swords were not used very often in the Hidden Leaf, most shinobi preferring kunai or shuriken. Any of the swords that were used were traditional katana, like the one that Gekkyo Hayate used. As a result, Neji had no idea as to how I would attack with the zanbatou, and was taking the cautious route.

"Awww... baby no wanna pway," I teased.

Three kunai and a shuriken flashed towards me. A glint of light was all the warning I had, and I placed the wide flat of the zanbatou in front of me to act as a shield. Naruto or Recca would have thrown their own weapons to block Neji, but my skill in that was minimal, at best. I ran forwards, gaining precious momentum as I brought an edge of the zanbatou up from the ground towards Neji, negating any chance he had of leaping away.

_"Kaiten!"_

I grinned, as the zanbatou was forced down from the Hyuuga, digging deep into the ground as I released the long, guard-less hilt.

"You thought you had won," Neji asked mildly, a superior smile tugging at his mouth. The set of his eyebrows gave away his concentration, though.

I sighed. "You're a pain, I'm going to have to rework the edge after that. Finished toying with me?"

A faint blur was the answer, as I felt Neji hit several of my other tenketsu. "No. You deserve no better."

I grinned a fanged smile, as I changed shape into my seven foot tall, heavily muscled humanoid tiger form. "Pity... I'm done playing with you."

* * *

The Grass Country daimyo gasped, leaning forward slightly from where he sat on his finely embroidered sheet. "What _is_ he?"

A smile from the Fire Country daimyo was given. Internally he was thanking god that he and his equal partner Sandaime were on such good terms, otherwise he would be just as surprised. "My ninja are famous for their ability, skill, and bloodlines."

The Wind Country daimyo was thoughtful after this, as was the Mist daimyo.

* * *

"Just so you know, Neji," I asked. "Nothing personal. I just can't stand arrogant pricks like you."

"Byakugan," Neji called out, blood vessels around his eyes inflating unnaturally.

"You've never fought a tiger before, have you," I asked, crouching. The other boy was shaken badly, and I could smell fear wafting off him. He appeared unstirred, however.

"Your tenketsu are sealed," Neji yelled. "You should not be able to perform _jutsu_!"

"This isn't a jutsu," I said mildly. Lifting one forepaw, I flexed it, claws coming out of their sheathes. "This is who I am."

I leapt at Neji again, paw coming around to both slap him silly and slash through his flesh with my claws, only to be forced back.

"_Kaiten!_"

I snorted, grinning as a faint trickle of blood began to fall from the corner of my mouth. "Have you ever seen a chaingun in action, Neji? That is the weakness in your defense."

* * *

"What does he mean, Kagero-san," Hyuuga Hinata asked.

Kagero frowned. "A chaingun can fire at a huge rate per minute, but it chews through ammunition quickly."

"How do you know this," Naruto asked. "What's a gun?"

Firearms were practically unknown in this world, save for simple fireworks. The bullets were some of 'tousan's most jealously guarded secrets

"He can't mean a battle of attrition, though," Kagero frowned. "That's no way to impress the judges of the tournament."

"Oh, yeah," Naruto laughed. He'd forgotten about that part.

* * *

Neji smirked. "The Heavenly Whirl is perfect in it's defence."

I leapt towards Neji again, deliberately barely missing him and skimming the edge of the orb of chakra my opponent emitted. Twisting around with cat-like agility to land on my feet facing him, I leapt again, getting the timing _just_ right, shining claws angled to strike him hard enough to part flesh, but not to puncture his vital organs.

"AAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGGGG," Neji screamed.

I turned to see him clutching his stomach, preventing his intestines from spilling out. Ninja pain training kept him on his feet.

"You can't fight like that," I rumbled. "In the real world, with a team, you'd have to be saved right now. In one on one combat, you're a sitting duck. If you try to defend with Kaiten again, your guts will fly out of your stomach from centrifugal force.

* * *

"Aaaa, I see," Kagero nodded.

"What? What," Naruto asked impatiently.

"The multiple barrels of a minigun don't go from still to full speed immediately, and they can't fire at part speed," Kagero-kaasan said. "There's a few seconds pause between pressing the button and bullets coming out, and between releasing the trigger and the gun stopping."

"What," Recca asked.

Shigeo-tousan nodded in understanding. "I see, now."

"Oi, oi, explain it to me then," Naruto said impatiently.

"When Neji-san begins his Kaiten, he's vulnerable for a fraction of a second," Shigeo said. "And, similarly, when he slows down and finishes, he's also vulnerable but for a longer time since he has to slow down and then assume a defensive stance after that. Matora feinted, and Neji fell for it."

"Ouka-dono was right," Kagero-kaasan said, looking down at the arena. "Recca-kun, Matora-kun will be perfect as your second-in-command."

* * *

Genma, the referee, nodded. "Winner, Hanabishi Matora!" 


	19. Part 19

**Summary:** Recca, Kagero, and a SI are placed in the world of the Nine Tails

**Crossover:** Flame of Recca, Naruto, Hitman: Contracts

**Disclaimer:** I don't own what other people do. I do own me, though.

**Feedback:** Sure thing... I like hearing how I can improve :) I also like hearing people's opinions on things. I have a fragile ego and low self esteem -- please review?

**BandsThisWasWrittenTo:** Oasis

**Pre-fic Comments: **

_If anyone knows of any Naruto fanfic mailing lists (general purpose anyone-posting-fic ones, like Potters Place for HP fics, and XanderZone for Xander-based Buffyfics), I would definitely like to know of them. If I am directed to one, I'll post the link and the referrer in my ffnet bios!_

_ChaosRonin:_ Thanks!

_Aikuchi Shikaku:_ It shouldn't be too long before you find out. Well, fic-wise, I'm not sure as to how long it will take me to get to the end of the Third Exam. The only thing I don't like about this fic is the SI element -- I don't want to overpower anyone.

_KamiKaze no Kage:_ Number 47 is the main character from the computer game 'Hitman'. He is a trained assassin based in Eastern Europe. In the game, if you pass a level with no alarms sounded, no one alerted, and only the target killed, then the game rewards you with a bonus weapon and the title 'Silent Assassin'. If ninja didn't have chakra or jutsu, he'd probably be an extremely good occidental variant of one. If it helps any, think of him like the ninja dude from the start of Kenshin, whose boss was working for the drug dealer, but without the messed up face and tattoo'ed arms.

* * *

"Congratulations, bro," Naruto cheered once I returned to the stands.

"I probably shouldn't have won that -- that was a complete stroke of luck that Neji mistimed it like that," I admitted. "Normally he would have ground me into the dirt, regeneration or no regeneration."

"Still, you acquitted yourself well," Kagero-kaasan said.

"Who's up next," I asked.

"Naruto and Fuuko, I think," Recca said.

* * *

The fight was a strange one -- Naruto went for his usual 'Kage Bunshin Dog--er, fox-pile' tactic, while Fuuko kept running, dodging the Naruto clones, throwing senbon, and reclaiming senbon that had broken up clones.

* * *

"Where's Sasuke," I asked. "It's strange that he isn't here."

Shigeo-tousan smiled. "He... found pressing business at the hospital."

* * *

_Sasuke looked disdainfully at the clerk._

_"You're sure of this," the clerk asked. "I have to go through this one more time to make sure you understand -- this is a pretty serious thing."_

_"Do it if you must," Sasuke said._

_"Okay," the clerk began, finger trailing through the document. "The undersigned, Uchiha Sasuke, agrees to donate sperm, blood, and hair samples to the Konoha Hospital Genebank under the conditions that, in the event of the death of the Uchiha Clan as a whole in the eyes of Konoha, or the permission of the undersigned, the genetic material will be used to perpetuate the bloodline in Konoha Village, under the direct guidance, supervision, and guardianship of the Hokage. The genetic material supplied may not at any time be destroyed and, in the event of the undersigned leaving Konoha Village, the distribution of the material will be carried out."_

_Sasuke nodded. "Give me a pen."_

_The clerk gave him the pen. "It's not very many bloodlines at all that use this facility. Even though we have the best security vaults in the village."_

_"Okay," Sasuke said. He blushed bright red, as he pulled out a small jar. "I... uh... brought samples of blood and... uh, the other stuff."_

_The clerk snorted, shaking his head. "That stuff's too old. Go see Doctor Storey through that door there, he's expecting you."_

_Sasuke put the jar away. As he began to turn towards the indicated door, he stopped, turning back to the clerk. "What bloodline in here is the most famous?"_

_"Uchiha's Sharingan."_

* * *

"Oh, okay," Sakura said. "I hope he hasn't hurt himself -- I'll have to buy some flowers for him."

Kagero-kaasan laughed quietly. "I don't think he'll be in there that long, Haruno-san."

I looked down, eyes following the movement below. "I see."

"What," Domon asked. "It shouldn't be long now until Fuuko-chan finds the real Naruto."

"No," I disputed. "Sakura, remember when he caught Kakashi-san from behind?"

"Oh," Sakura said, just as another Naruto clone burst up from beneath the ground and grabbed Fuuko's arms, holding her.

"What on earth is he going to do now," Recca wondered. Naruto wasn't the most predictable of people.

* * *

Naruto knew what Fuuko was capable of, and so he got four extra clones to hold onto her ankles and wrists before turning to the galleries.

"Except for one chakra control exercise, behold the single technique that Hatake Kakashi thought worthy of his genin team!"

* * *

I was confused at this. "Oi, Kakashi, you didn't teach us shit. What's Naruto on about?"

Kakashi, being an experienced ninja and also having seen Naruto's vindictiveness in action, paled. "He's still pissed at me for the genin entrance exam."

* * *

"Hidden Leaf Ancient Taijutsu Supreme Technique," Naruto roared. Kakashi hid behind Kagero-kaasan's seat. "**A Thousand Years Of Pain!**"

Needless to say, Fuuko got a very powerful asspoke from Naruto that sent her flying into the wall, knocked unconscious.

"Winner: Naruto!"

Everyones' eyes turned to find Kakashi, especially including Gai who was spouting how disappointed he was in his rival.

Talk began to spread in the galleries. What a lazy and inconsiderate teacher, only teaching his student an _asspoke!_

* * *

The Sand daimyo turned to his guest. "Is the plan still going ahead?"

The guest shook his head, long unbound black hair staying tidy. "Not without Kazekage -- the plan relies too heavily on his skill to succeed now. We'd need the Oto leader as well, and he is not here."

The daimyo frowned. "Go, then."

The guest rose, leaving the gallery. One of his subordinates ran up to him. His Western-style suit, his hair, and his scar that greatly resembled Matora's scar were all highly distinctive.

"Sakyo-sama! Are we still doing the attack?"

"No," Sakyo said. "The unknown element threw our plans too far out. Cancel it, and start an investigation into who killed Kazekage."

"The plan is a waste of time, then," Sakyo's bodyguard asked.

Sakyo turned to look up at the tall man. "Not at all -- I've still got several bets to monitor."

"The BBC," the bodyguard asked, eyebrow raised. A shorter warrior appeared next to the taller one, waiting patiently.

Sakyo nodded, lighting a cigarette as he entered the merchants' private gallery.

* * *

Next was Aburame Shino versus Kankuro of the Sand.

Well, _that_ was a big heap of nothing. Sandman gave up before he even started, making me wonder why he didn't resign before the Preliminaries.

"I'm surprised that Uchiha decided to go as far as I've heard he plans to," Kagero-kaasan said.

"You mean the hospital vaults," I asked. Everyone else looked confused, since the Konoha Gene Vaults were one of the blackest secrets of the village.

'Kaasan nodded.

"He wanted me to do one of _those_ techniques to consult his parents again during the month of training," I explained.

* * *

_Sasuke looked at me steadily. "I want you to do that technique again -- I want to see my parents again."_

_I looked at him, head tilted. "Are you willing to pay the price? It will be quite high -- last time, both your parents and I paid equally. But, since you are related so closely, the Keeper of Souls may charge a lesser toll."_

_"I'll pay it, whatever it is," Sasuke demanded._

_"Hmmm," I said, agreeing. "Close your eyes."_

_As soon as his sight failed him, I began forming handsigns, flowing evenly through each form until finally I came to rest on a seal that was never taught in the Academy. The seal snapped into place, finishing the jutsu._

_"Open your eyes," I said._

_Sasuke's eyes snapped wide open, and he blinked as his eyes began to dry from their unnatural exposure. "M-m-m-mother!"_

_I turned, then paused. "Uchiha clan, I'll be over there. Sasuke, you've got a quarter of an hour. After that, I won't be able to hold the jutsu. Make it last."_

_Ignoring the emotional talk behind me, I concentrated on holding the technique. My best so far was five minutes, but that was after expending chakra and binding it into another technique._

* * *

"One of those techniques," Kaasan repeated dryly. "Be sure that you don't do too much, my son."

"I won't," I said easily. "Hey, it looks like Temari and the kodachi dude are on next."

'Kaasan nodded again. "Junko will be annoyed -- she is the medic-nin for the Hokage's box."

"So," I asked. "She can't do anything for Kazekage -- he's dead."

Kagero shook her head. "No, she's holding his body in stasis for Hidden Sand nin to take away just as it was when he was killed. Look, they're about to start."

* * *

"A swordsman," Temari asked, bringing out her large battle fan.

Hokuro smiled as he drew his twin kodachi from their sheaths. "Come, have a taste of steel to whet your hunger."

"Sorry, I don't like taking pain," Temari said. She flicked her fan towards Hokuro. "Just giving it out."

Hokuro blocked the blast of air, which was unfocused, mainly kicking up sand and dust. A series of thuds announced Temari's retreat -- from what he'd seen in the Preliminaries, her jutsu were mainly long range, with little close combat. He snorted -- if it weren't for the random order, he'd have chalked the match up to Hokage's funny sense of humour. Running forward, he charged out of the cloud, body leaning low to the ground to maintain a low profile.

"Nighty night," Temari said tauntingly, flicking her fan again, sending Hokuro flying again.

He lifted his kodachi to eye level, flickering them. Seasoned nin noticed that his hands, still holding the swordhilts, were moving through seals. "Bunshin no Jutsu!"

Several Hokuro figures appeared, charging towards Temari.

She flicked her fan again, almost automatically, swearing after the technique was finished. She should have not done a wind blast, but a wind blade! _Shimatta!_

As if to taunt her, the clones of Hokuro (and the real Hokuro, now indistinguishable from his clones to any save a Hyuuga) burst out of the cloud, forming a circle around her.

"Which one," they chorused, walking closer. "Take a gamble, Sabakuno. Which one of us is real? Which pair of edges will taste virgin blood?"

"None," she yelled, deciding that the southernmost clone was the real one -- it was closest to the original cloud, and she was assuming that he would go for the quickest position, thinking that she would assume he would be trickier than that.

Her fan swept through several illusions before it fell out of her hands, pale white becoming sullied by the dirt as she stopped. Holding the fan, she would have moved too far and have been beheaded by the pair of kodachi now circling her neck, Hokuro's shin preventing her moving backwards out of the trap.

"I am not very balanced here," he said, "but there are very little ways for you to escape this. You made your gamble, you lost."

"Winner, Hokuro," Genma announced.


	20. Part 20

**Summary:** Recca, Kagero, and a SI are placed in the world of the Nine Tails

**Crossover:** Flame of Recca, Naruto, Hitman: Contracts, YYH

**Disclaimer:** I don't own what other people do. I do own me, though.

**Feedback:** Sure thing... I like hearing how I can improve :) I also like hearing people's opinions on things. I have a fragile ego and low self esteem -- please review?

**BandsThisWasWrittenTo:** Guns and Roses, Norther, and Nine Inch Nails.

**Pre-fic Comments: **

I mainly work off the manga, and had a flick through my Naruto eps. Ye Gods. What a pack of drama queens -- _all_ of them! The manga isn't that bad!

_Still looking for that general Naruto fanfic mailing list..._

_Stefni:_ Thanks! And it wasn't so much teaching it as it was stealing it ala Sharingan, without the Sharingan. As for the new sensei bit -- that would depend on how good Kakashi is at verbally defending himself :)

_KamiKaze no Kage:_ Thanks! No prob for the explanation, it really is a good game. Hitman: Contracts also has some of the old missions from the original game in it.

* * *

"Lokison Raiha versus Lee! Begin!"

"It seems that Fate has brought us together as adversaries," Raiha said. "I have heard of your... problems with chakra."

"It has not dulled the fire of my youth," Lee yelled, perfectly content to carry on with the obligatory pre-fight posturing. Dragon Ball Z was his favourite manga, after all!

"My Bloodline means that trying to use chakra is sheer folly for myself," Raiha continued, before pulling his twelve pound cast iron sledge off his back. "Even his allies are afraid of the _berserker_."

"_Berserker_? What word is that," Lee asked, before disappearing. "Let's begin."

Raiha seemed to raise his sledge by chance to meet Lee's kick, just like his left forearm happened to meet Lee's punch after that. The bowlcut genin leapt back to face the opponent that he had thought would be simple to beat. He was so glad -- a fire burnt out without fuel, after all. Nothing must quench his flames of youth!

"You are slow, but strong," Lee complimented. "And very skilled."

"Thank you," Raiha said. "You are fast, but your style is highly predictable, and your punches never deviate from the same type. Your kicks are also very strongly reminiscent of the Konoha Senpuu move that you favour so highly."

"Lee! I'll allow taking off your weights," a voice called out. "This is to prove your way of the Ninja!"

Lee obediently took off his legwarmers, revealing weights strapped around his shins underneath them. His opponent politely waited while Lee unstrapped them, lifting them up to chest height before dropping them, plumes of dust hiding him when they hit the ground. Eventually, when the dustcloud cleared, two massive craters were revealed.

"You have my respect," Raiha said. "You are truly determined, to train like that."

"Thank you," Lee said. "Why are you not taking off your own weights?"

"Weights," Raiha asked, bringing one manacle'd wrist up to chest level, showing it to Lee. "These are seals."

* * *

"What are they, samurai," I muttered.

"Not everyone is as impatient as you," Kagero-kaasan chided me.

"They should be beating the crap out of each other, not doing this wait bullshit," I said. "This is no way to impress clients, either, unless they want streetfighters."

"Hey, wait," Recca said. "I wanna see what happens."

* * *

"Wait a moment," Raiha requested.

Lee inclined his head.

The genin let his sledgehammer fall to the ground, long handle standing upright due to the weight and angular design of the head as he brought his two iron manacles around his wrists together over his chest.

"Releasing the seal by ten, until the target has been defeated."

Angular runes beaten on the metal glowed red a moment.

"Let's continue," Lee said.

Raiha picked up his sledge, as Lee vanished again. He swung, seemingly randomly, faster than before, as Lee moved too fast for most peoples' eyes ability to track him. Raiha swayed slightly as Lee struck him, before swinging again.

Lee appeared before him, clutching his chest with one hand. Spitting out blood onto the sand of the arena, he looked at Raiha. "This is fun!"

"Stop playing," Raiha said.

"You too, then," Lee said. "Drop that seal. I dropped my weights."

"No, it's way too dangerous," Raiha said, swinging his sledge again.

Lee danced around it. "I can take it!"

"For me, I meant," Raiha clarified.

Lee's guard dropped a moment, while he thought that over. Raiha took the opportunity and brought the hammer around again, striking the middle of Lee's arm squarely. A loud **crack** announced what had happened, and Lee vanished to the other side of the arena.

"You're too good," Lee said. "I can't stop here! I must continue, and prove that anyone can be a great ninja with only taijutsu!"

"Heh," Raiha grinned, resting his sledge on his right shoulder. "Go on, then. Prove it for me as well."

Lee appeared behind the tall Lokison, knifehand across the back of his head. Slowly, the sledge-wielding nin fell to the ground like a felled tree trunk.

* * *

"That was COOL," Naruto cheered, as Lee gave thumbs up to the crowds now cheering him.

"Say, Hanabishi-san," Sakura asked. "I don't understand -- you've said that Recca-san is to lead your clan, but Matora-san would make a better leader."

"Hell no," I said immediately. "I suck at motivating people. If I was leader, I'd be telling them off and giving orders and doing a crappy job."

"That's the way a good command works," Kagero said. "The leader is as much figurehead as he is thinker, and has to gain the hearts of the people he is leading. His second in command is the one who does the unpopular tasks, and supports the leader first and foremost."

"What if the leader can do both," Sakura asked.

"Then that is a perfect leader," Kagero nodded.

"As well as one that'd get a heart attack from stress within a year," Shigeo-tousan chipped in with an irreverent smirk.

"Which is another reason I don't want to be leader, too much work," I said.

"That's just cos you're lazy, niisan," Naruto said, poking his tongue at me.

* * *

"Finally," the Konoha medic-nin muttered, as the Sand ANBU arrived. "I've been holding stasis for you -- Kazekage's corpse is unchanged in any way whatsoever."

The Sand ANBU Leader looked at the Sand bodyguard, who nodded, meaning that the medic-nin had not been picking the body over for hints as to Sand techniques and medicines, to the best of his knowledge. A old, thin Sand medic-nin walked out from the grouping of ANBU, walking over to where the Kazekage was slumped over in his stone chair. Nothing had been touched -- even the grey brain matter, hair, bone, and scalp were still spread across the backrest.

A sharp intake of breath announced that something was wrong.

"What is it," the Sand ANBU Leader asked.

"This is _not_Kazekage," the old medic said, looking at the face. "See? The bone structure is faintly... wrong... and the edges where the skin meed the eyes are peeling away, like so, revealing who this _really_ is."

Producing a superlatively sharp scalpel, the medic carefully cut the dead skin mask off the dead man, placing it to one side on a clean piece of white cloth.

The Sand ANBU Leader's face was stony, and rightly so. His 'easy' mission, providing backup to the one nin in Sabakugakure who least needed it, had turned into a royal clusterf**-**ck. First his 'client' had been murdered, with the assassin making a clean escape, and now he had found that Kazekage was not, in fact, Kazekage.

"This is disturbing," Hokage said from a respectful distance. "If I might? Could you show the true face?"

The medic obeyed, revealing a face with misshapen eyes with slit pupils. Dark lines went down past the inside ends of the eyes, making his thin, shallow nose look more like a serpentine snout. His pale skin was marred only by the red dot in the center of his forehead, where the bullet had penetrated.

"_Orochimaru_," Hokage breathed in anger.

"You know this man," Sand ANBU asked.

"He is one of the Sennin, the Snake Sennin," Sandaime said. "He was exiled from Konoha for inhumane experiments on live human subjects."

"This raises the question of where Kazekage is, and if he is still alive," the medic said, face twisted in hate.

"He is not," Sandaime said.

"You sound certain."

"This... technique, of stealing faces, is one of his original jutsu, and does not leave the original owner of the face alive," Hokage said. He now looked every bit as old as he was. "I will leave this matter to you -- Konoha will cooperate fully to find out the extent of this atrocity."

* * *

"Sakyo-dono, I thought we were joking," a burly businessman dressed in a rich kimono said. His bearded face was sweating heavily.

"I rarely joke about matters regarding hundred million yen bets, Herod-san," Sakyo said, breathing out tobacco smoke evenly.

"But that will bankrupt me!"

"You joined the Black Book Club knowing what the conditions are," Sakyo said. "Are you saying you are... 'welching' on our bet?"

"You won't see a red cent off me!"

Herod stopped breathing for a moment as he traced a thin tendril back to the shorter bodyguard, blood beginning to trickle from where his throat was nicked.

"Monday, Herod. One hundred million yen. Or Shijyuushichi-san will be paying you a visit."

Herod swallowed as the tendril was retracted.

* * *

"Sabaku no Gaara versus Hanabishi Recca! Begin!"

The short redhead began to laugh, quietly. Sand erupted from the huge gourd on Gaara's back, floating in the air like tobacco smoke as Gaara clutched his head.

"Okaasan... this blood will be good... I promise..."

"Hey, you gotta get my blood first," Recca said, pulling his lower right eyelid down. "Biiii!"

"Come," Gaara said.

"Hell no," Recca retorted. "I heard rumours about you, you know you're not exactly quiet, right?"

Sand surged forwards, and Recca leapt back to avoid it. Flicking his right hand to summon his Flame, he regarded Gaara curiously.

"Hey, I can see you're Sand Man, but can you control glass," Recca asked, intentions obvious.

Gaara's eyes were wide with madness, as he flicked his hand, sending sand surging towards Recca, who let his internal flame rage in response.

* * *

Kagero-kaasan sighed, shaking her head. "This is like they're a pair of five year olds throwing dirt at each other, really."

"Well, if Recca does melt Gaara's sand, then his asset becomes a liability, doesn't it," I asked.

"Not if Gaara can use the sand lying around the arena, and create sand from the ground," Shikamaru said. "Then it would be a question of who would run out of sand or fire first."

"Hey, isn't fire a speciality of the Uchiha Clan," Ino asked.

"My son is a Hokage Flame Master," Kagero-kaasan said with pride. "Every firstborn in his line has possessed an internal flame."

"I wonder if he can come up with a strategy for dealing with Sabaku no Gaara in time," Shikamaru mused. "He doesn't seem like it, even if he is a kick ass type."

"Is he related to Matora-sama," an unfamiliar voice from behind asked them. It was a tall girl with white hair, pale skin and raven eyebrows.

"Who're you," Sakura asked curiously.

"My name... is Torako," the girl said, after a moment of thought.

"Right," Shikamaru deadpanned.

"Matora-sama? Is there something I should know, my son," Kagero asked, exquisitely polite.

"Maybe later," I hedged.

* * *

Post-fic Comments:

For those who can't really understand Japanese (like me!), Shijyuushichi-san translates roughly to Mr 47. Normally a Japanese person would use a different word for 4 and 7, though, as shi also means death and is considered unlucky.


End file.
